How To Pretend You're Maura Isles' Girlfriend
by RileysHell
Summary: A simple misunderstanding drives Maura to plot a plan that is not like her at all. But she needs the help of a tall, dark haired stranger.
1. The Convincing Brunette

**AN:** This is the teaser for a new story. I don't know how I got the idea, but I knew I had to write it. The title says it all; Jane has to pretend to be Maura's girlfriend for a night, at least that's what they think.  
Kinda AU, where they don't know each other. Yet! ;)

* * *

Maura nervously wiped the side of her glass, making a path through the condensation. She once again bit her lip, trying to be patient. "That's very sweet of you, but I can't accept that."

"Why not? It's just a drink" the tall blonde man argued with a smile. "And if you're not waiting for someone, I don't see the harm." He pushed the tall and fragile cocktail glass towards her, urging her to please his self-esteem. It had only been a minute since he sat down next to her at the bar, but she was seriously running out of polite rejections. And how could this man not take no for an answer at all?

Maura was about to make a rather rude comment when an arm suddenly slipped around her waist. "Hi honey" a dark voice murmured near her ear before a pair of soft lips kissed her cheek. "Sorry I'm late, I had to interrogate a suspect before I could leave."

She quickly turned her head to the right and saw a tall brunette smiling down at her. Maura felt the hand on her back and was suddenly unsure about who deserved her rude comment.

"Who's your friend?" the brunette asked and looked over at the (not so) gentleman.

Maura was rendered silent, still in shock. She turned her head to the man on her left side, and back to the brunette on her right.

"You're not trying to steal my girl, are you?" the brunette continued, half warning, half joking. "Cause I will arrest you if I have to. Yeah, I'm a cop."

The man laughed softly before he stood up. "I'm sorry. She said she wasn't waiting for someone, so I thought it was okay."

The brunette ran her hand gently over Maura's hair. "That's right, she doesn't have to wait for anyone" she said sweetly while looking at Maura. "She's already got all of me."

Maura sighed, she was almost convinced herself by this brunette.

"My apologies. Enjoy your evening, ladies." The courting man surrendered and walked away with his beer.

"Thank you" the brunette said victoriously and waved as he left.

Maura finally laughed softly and looked at the brunette. "No, thank _you_ … That was quite the performance."

"Oh… no worries. I saw everything and you seemed like you were about to slap him. Figured I'd save you the job." The brunette smiled and finally removed her hand from Maura's shoulder.

"You certainly did" Maura smiled back. "Thank you, again."

"Don't worry about it. I'd do it again. Enjoy the free drink" the brunette winked and pointed to the cocktail before she turned around and left.

Maura had barely time to laugh for herself and take a deep breath before someone called her name. She quickly turned around and saw a familiar face. "Hi mother" she smiled and stood up to hug her mother.

"Honey, who was that? Do you have a girlfriend I don't know about?" her mother asked with a teasing smile.

Maura choked. Had her mother seen the whole show? "I… no. I-" she stuttered.

Her mother squeezed Maura's arm. "Why didn't you tell me? Were you afraid I wouldn't approve?"

Maura felt her legs go weak and sat back down. "No, that's not it. Mother…"

"Because I don't care if you date a man or a woman, as long as my darling is happy. That is all that matters to me, Maura."

Her heart was racing. How in the world did this happen? "Mother…" she tried again but was cut off by her mother's suddenly gleaming face.

"Oh, this is wonderful, Maura! You have to bring her to the dinner Saturday night. The Donovans have a daughter that also prefers the ladies. This will absolutely secure their donation!"

Maura's face fell while her mother kept talking. How was she supposed to tell her mother the truth now? Her mother was raising money for a cause that was close to Maura's heart as well.

"Darling, will you bring your date?"

Maura swallowed and replied with the only truth she could come up with. "I will try."


	2. Honey, I'm Home!

**AN:** Holy crap you guys! Do you know how many e-mail alerts I had in my inbox this morning? :) I really, really, really appreciate it. All 95 followers, 22 favorites and every single one of the 22 reviews! Just because of that I decided to post the second chapter. But please don't hate me for the last line! You've been warned! ;)

* * *

"Hey, Rizzoli!"

Jane stopped in the middle of the lobby and turned to the officer by the service desk.

"A woman stopped by earlier, looking for you."

"Oh? Who?" Jane walked up to Officer Franklin.

"Didn't say. Only told me to give you this." He handed her a card that looked very professional. "She was hot though…"

Jane smirked and read the name on the card. It didn't sound familiar at all. "What did she look like?"

"Like she was about to walk down the runway…"

Jane raised an eyebrow at the description.

"Fancy lady, high heels, skirt, some designer purse and shit. Blonde, dimples, looking real nice from all sides… She didn't even know your name, but she said she had to talk to you about your acting career…" He looked seriously confused.

Jane burst out laughing. "Really? Shit… Okay, thanks." She just smiled and waved the card at him before she left, knowing it would confuse him even more. She looked down at the card again while she waited for the elevator, clearly remembering the woman from the day before, and wondered what she wanted.

* * *

Someone whistled at her as Maura entered The Dirty Robber and looked around. She saw the brunette in one of the booths and headed towards her. The brunette noticed her right away and excused herself to her friends and got up. "Hey, you found me" she smiled before holding out her hand. "I never introduced myself properly, I'm Jane.

Maura smiled and shook the outreached hand. "Hi Jane. I'm Maura."

"Shall we?" Jane asked as she retracted her hand and pointed to a booth further away from everyone.

Maura nodded and walked towards the booth, feeling curious sets of eyes following her.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you, I'm good" Maura smiled and sat down. She placed her purse between herself and the wall, not feeling too secure about the place. Jane slid in across her and looked at her.

"So, what can I do for you?"

Maura swallowed and took a deep breath. She still didn't understand why she was doing this, but she had argued with herself the whole night before and she was tired of it. "This is going to sound really weird" she started and placed her hands on the table. "But I was wondering if you could help me with something. Another performance so to say."

Jane leaned forward smiling, clearly wondering what this woman wanted. "Okay…?"

"I was actually wondering if I could hire you to be my girlfriend tomorrow night."

"What?" Jane laughed.

Maura sighed and looked down at the table. She was mortified. "I know it sounds very creepy…"

Jane continued to laugh. "No, not creepy. Just weird…"

"It's complicated, but my mother saw us yesterday and she truly believes you are my girlfriend and she wanted me to bring you to this dinner tomorrow, and…" Maura stopped herself to breathe and carefully looked up at Jane.

"Why didn't you just tell her the truth?"

"I tried, but she didn't really listen to me, and I… it's… it's complicated. We don't really have a normal relationship and I try so hard to be a good daughter. She was so happy about this because it could help raising a lot of money and I just couldn't-"

"Whoa!" Jane stopped her. "Hold on. How is me being your girlfriend gonna raise money?"

"It's a charity for a children's hospital in Africa, my mother is very passionate about it, and so am I. We're having dinner with someone important tomorrow and his daughter is apparently… gay, and my mother seems to believe that it would help us if I was too." Maura had to take a deep breath once again. Jane looked at her with disbelief written all over her face.

"I'm sorry" Maura mumbled and reached for her purse. "This is totally inappropriate, you probably have a boyfriend or husband… and I can't believe I did this. I had no right asking you-"

"I'll do it."

The words stopped Maura from getting up. Instead she looked at Jane who was smiling slightly. "What?"

"I said I'll do it." Jane leaned back, like it was no big deal.

"You will?"

"Yeah. Why not? It sounds like it's for a good cause."

Maura just sat there and stared at Jane.

"And I get a free dinner, right?"

"Yes! Yes, of course." Maura laughed at the smirk on Jane's face. "Drinks are on me…"

"Then count me in!" Jane laughed as well.

A phone ringing interrupted them, and Maura realized it was her phone. "I'm sorry…" She found her phone in the purse and looked at it. "Oh god… it's my mother" she sighed.

Jane grinned at her. "Answer it. Tell her that your girlfriend is coming to the dinner tomorrow night."

Maura shook her head, more shocked than frustrated. "This is turning out to be the strangest conversation in my life" she mumbled before she answered the call. "Hi mother. Yes I have. Yes, she will. Her name is Jane." Maura had to look away to keep herself composed. Jane was watching her intently, smirking and giving her a thumb's up, and it made Maura laugh silently. "Yes, I'm aware, but you can ask her tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I have to go, mother. I'm in the middle of something. Yes. Okay, we'll see you then. Bye."

Maura quickly ended the call and placed her phone safely back in her purse. Then she looked back up at Jane with horror in her eyes. "Oh god, this will never work! She's never going to believe us! We are strangers, we know nothing about each other. How are we supposed to convince other people?"

"Honey, relax! It'll be fine." Jane smiled when she saw the confusion in Maura's eyes. "What? I'm rehearsing for the role" she explained and winked. It took a few seconds, but Maura finally giggled. "Okay" Jane continued. "So we have to get to know each other. What are you doing the rest of the day?"

Maura rolled her eyes. "Having a nervous breakdown I suppose."

"No you're not" Jane laughed. She stretched out her arm and gently placed her hand on Maura's arm. "How about we go home… to your place or my place or whatever, and come up with a story about how we met?" Her thumb brushed over Maura's skin and Jane saw how Maura's eyes trailed down to her hand. "Yeah, you have to get used to it. I'm your girlfriend now and I will touch you during the night." A small pause and Jane heard the words repeated in her head. "And please just ignore how that sounded" she added.

Laughter escaped from Maura's lips and she looked back up at Jane. "Let's go home to my place. I think I need a few glasses of wine tonight."

Jane nodded and they got up and started walking towards the door. "But if you only have wine at home, then we need to make a stop on the way, because your new girlfriend prefers beer over wine."

Maura laughed again. "Good to know."

* * *

"So, how do we do this? Are we just gonna list our interests and stuff?" Jane asked when they were safely settled on Maura's coach, with their wine and beer. After they had arrived at Maura's home, Jane had to ask for a guided tour of the house, completely shocked of the size and how perfect it was.

"How about we write down some facts about ourselves, I'd feel safer if I could go through it from time to time."

"This really is like rehearsing for a play" Jane laughed. "But okay, that sounds like a good idea."

Maura found pen and paper for them both and they started writing. They agreed on what type of facts they should know about each other, and after they were done, they switched papers. As Maura's eyes went over Jane's writing, she grew more and more insecure. This woman was so different from herself, it was like day and night. Where Maura appreciated the stillness of the house and a night of reading, Jane preferred a baseball game, hockey game, basketball game, any sports actually. Maura liked her wine, Jane wanted her beer. Fashion and science were changed with poker and junk food. She was about to say something when Jane's hand landed on the couch with a loud thud.

"You can't lie!?"

So Jane had come to the end of Maura's list. She bit her lip and slowly turned to Jane. "Not really."

Jane laughed and her head fell to the back of the couch. "Holy shit!"

And Maura noticed another bump, Jane's cursing.

"So how are you supposed to convince your mother that I'm your girlfriend if you can't lie?"

"I don't know" Maura confessed. She was relieved that Jane didn't seem angry about it, instead she laughed and seemed to find it funny.

"Wow, this should be fun. Maybe I should do most of the story telling tomorrow" Jane grinned. "Since I'm good at lying."

"I'm sorry Jane, I feel awful for dragging you into this. I won't be offended if you change your mind."

"What? No, don't worry. I'll still do it. Besides, you've already told your mother I'll be there tomorrow. So we kinda have to do this…" Jane switched the paper in her hand for her beer instead and faced her body towards Maura. "We can make it through one dinner, right?"

"I hope so" Maura mumbled and took a sip of her wine. Unfortunately she wasn't entirely focused on her glass, and a few drops of wine fell down to her shirt as she removed the glass from her lips. "Oh no!" she sighed and quickly placed her glass on the table. She looked down to see two red stains spreading on her blue shirt. "I'll be right back!" She started undoing the buttons while she ran out of the living room and towards the stairs.

Jane carefully pushed the glass further away from the edge of the table and suddenly found herself alone. She looked around in the stylish home before she picked up Maura's list and went over it again. Almost at the end, she took a sip of her beer when the doorbell rang, almost scaring her.

"Jane? Could you please get that for me?" Maura called from upstairs.

"Sure!" Jane called back and got up. She opened the door to find a woman on the other side, clearly surprised to see Jane.

"Oh hi… I…" The woman paused and took a second look at Jane. "You're Jane?" she halfway asked and smiled.

"Uhm, yes, I am. And you are…?"

The elderly woman held out her hand and smiled. "Constance. Maura's mother."


	3. How I Met Your Mother

**AN:** I'm speechless, cause you all blow me away! I've read every review and thank you all. To those who's been following me for a while (yes, I have noticed you!) and all the new ones.  
To 'Bostonian Fan': I didn't mean for Maura to seem less confident in my story, I just sort of went with the thought that she is really out of her comfort zone. I believe it will be better for her as the story continues. And yes, I think they are in their late 20's in this, at least in my head.  
And to you who 'usually don't do this': I'm honored you chose to leave a few words! Hope I don't disappoint.

* * *

 _"Oh hi… I…" The woman paused and took a second look at Jane. "You're Jane?" she halfway asked and smiled._

 _"Uhm, yes, I am. And you are…?"_

 _The elderly woman held out her hand and smiled. "Constance. Maura's mother."_

"Oh… Oh!" A thousand words went through Jane's mind as she shook her future mother-in-law's hand. "Right! Hi. Uh… come in!" She stepped aside to let Constance in, mouthing a four letter word while she closed the door.

"I apologize for barging in on you, I didn't know you were here tonight. I simply came to drop off something for Maura."

"No problem! Come in… Maura is…" Jane stopped and looked into the empty living room. She swallowed before she opened her mouth. "Honey! Your mother is here!" she called.

"WHAT?!"

Jane snickered silently into her hand. This was not good, at all, but damn it was funny.

"I was just coming over to give you that blouse you asked for. I'm sorry if I disturbed you" Constance said as Maura came running back into the living room. With her new shirt only halfway buttoned.

Jane coughed behind Constance's back and wildly pointed at her own chest to make Maura aware of how her assets were clearly visible.

Maura saw the gesturing, but it took her a moment to realize what it meant. "Oh! Sorry!" She quickly buttoned up the rest. "I got wine on my shirt" she explained to her mother.

"Did you get it off?" Constance worried.

"What? Oh… yes, I believe I managed to save the shirt." Maura's eyes were flicking between the two women in front of her.

"Good. Such a shame to ruin clothes over wine."

Maura just nodded in agreement. An awkward silence filled the room before Constance took a breath. "Well, I am glad I got to meet you, Jane. I didn't even know Maura was seeing someone."

"Oh… that's my fault" Jane smiled. "I wanted to keep it a secret in the beginning. Just some family stuff that was kinda stealing the attention back home."

"I understand. No problem. Can I ask how long you've been dating?"

Maura tried to send a strict look to Jane, but to no use.

"About four months, isn't that right?" Jane looked to Maura who quickly smiled.

"You are better at numbers and dates than me…"

"Yeah, I am…" Jane laughed. She noticed Constance looking at the table and remembered what they were doing before the wine accident. "Uhm, honey, why don't you find a glass for… your mother." She was sure Maura was about to explode, but it made Constance look away from the papers on the table.

"Oh I don't want to disturb you girls."

Jane quickly cleared the table for any revealing notes. "Don't be silly. Have a glass with us." She folded the papers and placed them under her bottle before looking back up.

"Are you sure?" Constance asked, not wanting to impose, but it was obvious she wanted to stay.

"Of course" Jane smiled.

"Well, I guess I can have a glass. Thank you." Constance smiled at them both and looked at the couch and then the chair before she chose the latter.

"Uh, Jane, could you help me for a second?" Maura asked innocently.

Jane nodded and followed Maura to the wine collection next to the fridge.

"What are you doing?!" Maura whispered angrily.

"We can't just throw her out, Maura. It's just one glass, I'll come up with an excuse to get her out after that."

"But we have no story! Nothing to tell her at all. I'm not prepared for this!"

Jane noticed Constance looking at them, and smiled while she put a hand on Maura's shoulder. "It'll be fine. Drink your wine and let me talk. She's more interested in me anyway, no offense… Just make sure you sit down next to me, okay?"

Maura didn't bother to respond. Instead she grabbed a random bottle from her collection and went to find a glass.

Jane went back to the couch and sat down at the end closest to Constance, but with no idea at all about what to say. So she reached for her bottle of beer.

"So, tell me about yourself, Jane. What do you do for a living?" Constance asked to cut the silence.

"I'm a detective at BPD."

"Oh! How nice! I so admire all you out there keeping the rest of us safe."

Jane chuckled. "Oh it's nothing to admire. We all do it because we want to. Just like everyone else."

Maura returned with an unopened bottle of wine, and Jane interfered when Maura was about to open it. "Let me, honey." She was surprised at how easy the nickname flowed.

"Thank you" Maura muttered and smiled softly.

"What department do you work in?" Constance continued to ask.

"Homicide." Jane opened the bottle carefully. The amount of wine in the glass was less than normal when she was done, and she wondered if Constance would notice.

"You must see a lot of ugly things…"

Jane grabbed her beer and leaned back, noticing Maura had listened to her and was seated close to her on the couch. "Well, yes. But catching the bad guy totally makes up for it."

"So how did you two meet?"

Maura grabbed her glass right away and took a slow sip. Jane almost laughed at the sight. "It's actually a funny story" Jane started and rested her hand on Maura's knee. "It kinda happened like it did yesterday. I believe you saw most of it?"

Constance nodded to make Jane go on.

"Well, I came into the bar and saw this guy flirting with Maura. I thought it was pretty funny because he used the lamest pick-up lines I've ever heard. So I watched them for a little while until I saw how uncomfortable she was. So I went over to them, kissed her on the cheek and asked the guy if he was trying to steal my girl."

Constance laughed, and Jane threw a glance at Maura who was smiling into her glass. "And when I casually said that I was late because I had to interrogate a suspect, he vanished. Maura and I laughed and started chatting… and the rest is history I guess."

"That was really sweet! I thought that only happened in the movies."

"So did I. Guess we're both wrong" Jane smiled.

* * *

As soon as they were through with the basic questions about Jane, she got Constance talking about the charity dinner and time flew by. With both Maura and Jane drinking quite often from their glass and bottle, Constance was quickly emptying her glass as well. When it was barely a sip left, Jane tried to leave small hints about the romantic dinner they had planned for the night, and it got Constance up and moving. The girls followed her to the door, and Jane put her arm around Maura's shoulders when they stopped by the door.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Jane. I am so glad you want to join us for the dinner tomorrow."

Jane waved it off and smiled. "I'll be happy to. It was nice to finally meet you too, Mrs. Isles."

"Oh, call me Constance, honey. Mrs. Isles is my mother, not me."

They both laughed and Maura stood speechless and watched her mother wave and finally leave her house. The silence was a welcomed change, but it didn't take long before they both burst out laughing. "Oh my god" Maura sighed and leaned her head against Jane's shoulder. "You are a genius, and you deserve an Oscar for that performance."

Jane shook her head. "I can't believe we pulled that off… But shit, that was close!"

"We really deserve that dinner now. I am starving. Well, dinner… not a…" Maura fumbled for another word than romantic, she felt awkward about it all.

"Yes, we do deserve dinner" Jane helped her out. "Do you like Chinese?"

"I love Chinese."

"Great! Want to have dinner with your girlfriend?" Jane winked. She suddenly realized her arm was still around Maura and removed it. "I mean, I don't want to assume you'll have dinner with me but…"

Maura smiled, happy to know it wasn't just her that felt a bit out of place. "I would love that. I think I need to learn some more things about a certain detective anyway."


	4. A Kiss Is Just A Kiss

Her head was aching when Maura finally crawled into bed that night. Too much information and perhaps too much wine as well. Jane had spent the whole evening with her, and after they were both tired of exchanging information about themselves, they had watched a movie.

Maura stared up at the ceiling and smiled. She still couldn't believe what she was doing, this was nothing like her. But after the surprise visit that evening, even Maura had to admit that it was too late to tell the truth now. And what would one dinner hurt? They could just pretend to break up later and it was all over. Her mother didn't have to know the truth, and Maura didn't have to see Jane again.

Although that seemed like a bad thing right now. Even though they were night and day didn't mean they had no chemistry. And Jane's humor, sarcastic comments and straight-to-the-point-attitude was like a breath of fresh air. She liked talking with Jane, she liked laughing with her and listen to the stories she told from her job. For some reason, she felt more connected to Jane than any of her so-called friends.

So what was she supposed to do after the dinner the next night? Pay Jane for the trouble and move on? Tell her mother that 'oh, we decided to go our separate ways'?

Because clearly, she couldn't have it all. She couldn't still be friends with Jane after they 'broke up'? Or could she?

* * *

It was almost noon when Maura entered Jane's apartment, and she was starting to panic. It was so easy to think of the dinner as 'tomorrow night', it was not so fun to think of it as 'hours away'. She completely ignored how Jane excused the mess, and rushed inside.

"Maura? What's wrong?" Jane asked when she noticed the frantic breathing.

"I'm freaking out! I can't go through with this."

"Yes you can" Jane argued and closed the door. She walked over to Maura and grabbed her arms. "Hey, it's just a few hours. We can do it. We've already found our story, the worst is actually over."

"How can you be so calm?" Maura almost pouted.

Jane chuckled and had to look away. "Oh my god… I think we just found out how you manipulate me in our relationship." When she looked up and met Maura's eyes again, Jane started laughing. Maura was obviously not on the same page as Jane. "You're really cute when you're pouting like that" Jane explained. "And I guess that's how you talked your girlfriend into going to this dinner to meet your mom." She added a wink, and Maura finally smiled.

"But I'm not calm, Maura. I'm freaking out about something too. Wanna know what that is?" Jane continued.

"If this is you freaking out then you are most definitely calm. But yes, tell me."

"I have no clue what I'm gonna wear!"

This time Maura laughed. "That's your biggest worry?"

"Yes! I hate dresses. I don't own a single one! I have one skirt, but that's part of my police uniform and I've never worn it. What the hell am I gonna wear tonight?"

 _Day and night indeed._

"I can help you with that, Jane. I know fashion."

"Good. Then you can calm me down by finding something I can wear, and I'll calm you down by lying my ass off tonight."

Maura scrunched her nose. "I hope you won't be using words like that tonight…?"

Jane laughed and let go of Maura's arms. "We're bickering like a married couple already. I don't know what you're worried about… Come on honey, you have a very important job to do in my closet." She headed for her bedroom with Maura close behind, shaking her head.

After going through Jane's closet and finding something they both agreed on, Maura headed back home to get herself ready. Thank god she had gone through the same routine hundreds of times before, because her thoughts were not in the same room as the rest of her body. She went over Jane's list again, quizzed herself on Jane's family and interests while she shaved her legs. While she showered she spent several minutes trying to get Jane's birthday correct, she always switched two of the digits. And when she had put on her make-up and dried her hair, she started the quiz all over again.

A couple of hours before they had to leave, Jane showed up and Maura smiled when she opened the door. Her 'girlfriend' was dressed in black dress pants, a red blouse that fit the detective perfectly, and a black jacket.

"So… do you approve?" Jane asked and smiled.

"Absolutely" Maura nodded. "You look very nice, Jane."

"So do you. Is that pure cotton?" Jane teased and touched the robe Maura was wearing.

"Not funny, Jane. I haven't dressed yet." Maura smiled before she let Jane in and closed the door. "Beer?"

"I would love one, honey" Jane replied with a smirk.

Maura found a bottle in the fridge and handed to Jane before she found herself a glass of wine. "You really do rehears a lot. It sounds almost natural to you" she smiled.

Jane scoffed and sat down on the couch. "Oh Maura Isles, you have no idea" she smiled. When Maura joined her with confusion etched on her face, Jane laughed. "I'm kidding, Maura. God, you're so easy to mess with."

Once again Maura just shook her head instead of a reply. But she couldn't help smiling. It was that fresh air again.

"But in all seriousness… honey…" Jane sat up and swallowed. "Like… what do you expect from me in…I mean, how close are we supposed to be? I know we're supposed to be in love and all, but… I don't want to do something wrong and I have no idea what's appropriate and stuff. If you know what I mean."

"I'm not quite sure I follow you right now."

Jane sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay… am I supposed to kiss you or something tonight?"

Maura's mouth formed the word long before it slipped from her lips. "Oh…"

"Don't get me wrong, I would. But I mean, is it appropriate for the place where we're going? Since we're both women…?"

Too much begged for Maura's attention and she had to take a long sip of her wine. Was Jane supposed to kiss her? Why hadn't she thought about this before? Would it be inappropriate? "I… I honestly don't know" she whispered before clearing her throat. "I haven't thought about it at all."

"Then maybe we should. I don't want to step on your toes or make you uncomfortable in any way. You kinda have to set the rules here."

She knew Jane didn't mean to pressure her in any way, but she still couldn't fight the panic that snuck up on her. She was frustrated with herself for not thinking about this. She had never kissed a woman before! How on earth did she overlook this detail in her weird plan? "I… I really don't know what to say, Jane. I didn't think about this." She got up and started pacing around in her living room. "And I don't understand why!"

"Hey!" Jane was quickly on her feet and grabbed Maura's arm to stop her. "You're starting to panic again. Don't do that." She softly rubbed both of Maura's arms.

"But I'm a mess. I can't lie, remember? I took the most difficult way out of a situation. And… I'm starting to realize I'm in way over my head right now…"

"Maura… you're not a mess, okay? I'm sorry I brought it up and made you panic again, but I needed to ask you." Jane watched as Maura took in a deep breath and nodded. "Good… let me put this another way. If, hypothetically, I was a guy you brought to this dinner. And we ended up dancing to a slow, romantic song. I would've kissed you. And you would've expected me to, right?"

Once again Maura nodded.

"So what if we end up on the dancefloor tonight, which is unlikely cause I hate to dance but you never know… but if that happens, what do you want me to do?" Jane's hands slid down Maura's arms until she held the other woman's hands.

Maura didn't really give it much thought and was just happy she had some sort of control over her breathing again. She drew in a shaky breath, but shook her head. "I'm not sure… I'm sorry, Jane, but I don't know."

"That's okay. Nothing to be sorry about" Jane smiled. "I guess I'll just have to play it by ear then."

"What if I freak out?" Maura asked nervously.

Jane was starting to understand just what Maura was trying to tell her and sighed. "You've never kissed a woman before, have you?"

Maura slowly shook her head.

"Okay, come on." Jane gently pushed Maura back to the couch and they sat down. But once she was facing Maura again, Jane didn't know what to say. Sure, she could just kiss her and get it over with. And if Maura did freak out it wouldn't matter. But there was that whole thing with boundaries and stepping on toes. "I'm not sure what to say…" she chuckled and looked away.

Maura wanted to say something but she didn't know what to say either. Seconds went by while she studied Jane's face. And then her logical brain finally kicked in. "Jane, can you do me a favor?"

Jane tore her eyes away from that very interesting carpet on the floor and met Maura's eyes. "Sure…"

"Can you kiss me? Now?"

Jane had no idea why she was suddenly nervous. "Um… why?" she laughed.

"Because I don't like to be unprepared for situations like tonight. I don't like uncertain variables. I'd like to know the answer to any questions I might get." Maura smiled, relieved to have found a way around another obstacle. She could clearly see the wheels in Jane's head turning. "And you are supposed to be my girlfriend…" she added.

Jane laughed again and nodded. "That is a good point. I'd be a lousy girlfriend if I didn't kiss you when you wanted me to…" Her laughter died when she made eye contact with Maura again. Okay, she could in fact just kiss her and be done with it. Except this wasn't just a kiss. It wasn't even just a first kiss. Maura had never kissed a woman before, and Jane was given the honorable/horrible task. Not that she was a bad kisser, no Jane had no doubt at all about her kissing skills. But a first kiss with a woman was something you would remember forever. And… what if Maura _did_ freak out? Jane didn't want to be that memory.

"Jane? Do I have to start pouting?" Maura teased.

Jane shook her head and smiled. "No, that wouldn't be fair. To either of us." She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, and discreetly ran her tongue over her lips. She was really doing this. She was about to kiss that beautiful, adorable woman in front of her. And she was nervous.

So maybe there was one more thing besides boundaries and stepping on toes.

Jane didn't want to think too much, she knew it would just end up in a complete mess, at least for her own sake. So she leaned towards Maura, resting her arm on the back of the couch for balance, and met a pair of soft lips. Maybe even silk. She gave Maura a moment to back out, but when she didn't, Jane added a careful hand to her cheek and slowly moved her lips against Maura's.

 _Yup, you're in trouble. Okay, focus, one Mississippi, two Mississippi… three._

Jane pulled back to a proper distance and looked at Maura. "So…?" Her voice cracked a bit at the end and she made sure cover it with a deep breath.

Maura slowly opened her eyes and pressed her lips together. "Oh… wow."

Jane stifled a laugh. "Wow….good or bad?"

"Good. You're a great kisser" Maura smiled shyly. "And it was so… smooth. No scratching beard that made my skin itch."

Jane couldn't hold back the laugh anymore. "Yeah, well, I did shave before I came over…"

Maura laughed as well and seemed to lower her shoulders. "And I didn't freak out."

"No, you didn't. So does that mean you're prepared?"

"I think so" Maura nodded before she got up. "Thank you. I better go get ready."

Jane watched her walk away and sighed. "Yeah, anytime…" she whispered to herself.


	5. The Dinner Show

**AN:** You guys... I'm beyond words! I want to respond to each and every one of you, but I'm afraid to mess with my muses right now! Yes, there are more chapters ahead! Don't think the story ends with just the dinner!  
Just know that I still read each word you leave behind, twice! And I love them all! :)

* * *

Maura returned back to Jane a while later, revealing a beautiful cream white dress, and after Jane had picked up her jaw from the floor, they were on their way. Jane was feeling like a fish out of water in the limo, because of course Maura Isles wanted to arrive in style. Jane had learned that much. She tried to calm her nerves with a glass of champagne, but the stunning woman next to her was just a reminder about what she was about to throw herself into. Jane hated all sorts of formal events, and as they stepped out of the limo, Jane knew for sure this was a formal event. A sea of beautiful dresses and tailored tuxedos.

Maura saw the change in Jane's eyes and stopped before they were about to enter the ballroom. "Jane, are you okay?"

Jane laughed nervously. "Yeah… just got a bit nervous." She looked around before her eyes landed back on Maura.

"Well, I'm glad to see you can be nervous too" Maura teased. "Are you ready?"

Jane studied the woman next to her and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready" she smiled and held out her arm. "I'm just gonna focus on how everyone must be jealous since I have the most beautiful woman in the room as my date."

Maura's teasing smile was replaced by a blush and she quickly linked their arms together, resting her hand on Jane's forearm. "Now I'm nervous" she whispered.

Jane chuckled before they took the first real step into their new relationship.

Eyes were following them as they stepped inside and Maura realized they all thought Jane was her date, her girlfriend. The whole plan they had hatched had never been clearer to her than in that moment and she unintentionally squeezed Jane's arm.

"It'll be fine" Jane whispered to her, and Maura slowly released the tight grip on Jane's arm.

"Maura, Jane!"

Constance waved at them, and Maura sighed silently.

"You girls look stunning" Constance beamed. "Come, I want you to meet Tim Donovan."

Maura looked at Jane and tried to apologize without words while Constance led the way. But Jane just smiled. Tim Donovan was a tall and handsome guy in every way. Maura was surprised to see how young he was.

"Tim, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Maura. And her girlfriend, Jane…uhm… oh dear, I don't remember your last name!" Constance smiled and looked at Jane.

"It's Rizzoli, and I don't think I even told you" Jane smiled.

Constance quickly turned back to Tim who was shaking hands with the two girls. "That's right! You see, I've barely met my daughter's girlfriend, who is a detective by the way." She was completely bragging about everything she could.

"Maura, Jane, nice to meet you both" Tim smiled. "A lovely surprise I must say, Maura, I didn't know Constance had a daughter who preferred women."

"Oh, no one did" Maura replied.

Jane couldn't help but grin by the elegant way Maura had avoided a lie, and made sure to give her an admiring look while they had an audience.

* * *

After telling the same story about how they met, Jane used her detective skills and got Tim talking about his work. The first thirty minutes went by without a hitch. Maura didn't have to lie at all, whenever she felt insecure she sipped at her wine and Jane took charge. It turned out to be their secret sign. Jane made sure to pay attention to Maura, a smile, an adoring look and a simple touch now and then. Even dinner went by without issues, and Maura had started to relax.

After dinner and desserts, Jane found herself alone with Constance at their table while Maura had excused herself to the ladies room and was walking away. Jane watched her until she was out of sight, and turned back to see Constance looking at her.

"I'm so happy for you two, Jane. You seem to be perfect for each other."

"Yeah…" Jane mumbled, but smiled.

"And I so envy you that phase you're in, in the beginning when you can't seem to be close enough, you just want to be together all the time, you can't keep your eyes off of each other." The last was said with a wink, it was obvious Constance had seen the longing looks.

"Yes, that is a pretty amazing phase" Jane laughed nervously. She put her hands around the glass in front of her and spun it around slowly.

"Can I ask what you first liked about my daughter?"

Jane swallowed before she took a long sip of her drink. Time to go back into her character. "I'm not sure I can point to a specific thing actually. I mean, she's the most beautiful woman I've seen, but… it was just something about how we seemed to have instant chemistry. We talked about completely random stuff and it was so easy and comfortable. I can't really describe it. When I teased her about something, she just turned it around on me and made some snarky comment. And I loved it! And even though we're different in many ways, we seemed to click." She looked up and suddenly got a bit shy. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling…"

"Oh, I don't mind, Jane. And you are right, you do have chemistry. Everyone can see that. And it's so easy to see how much you love her, and that warms a mother's heart." Constance gently squeezed Jane's arm and smiled, a tear threatening to spill from her eye.

 _Okay, what's better than an Oscar? Holy crap, I should've been an actress!_

"Well, your daughter is amazing. You've raised a wonderful woman."

"Thank you." Constance looked past Jane and nodded. "I like to think so too."

Jane turned around and saw Maura returning, with a smile on her face. She even seemed to have a slight bounce in her steps. She stopped next to Jane and put her hand on Jane's shoulder. "Will you dance with me?" she smiled sweetly.

"Oh, you know I hate to dance…" Jane tried to object.

"I know" Maura pouted. "But I want to dance… please…?"

Jane sighed and turned back to Constance. "That would've sealed the deal too" she complained.

Constance laughed. "Runs in the family, Jane" she winked.

"What deal?" Maura asked confused, and Jane was quickly up on her feet.

"Nothing honey. And you're not playing fair… come on, let's dance."

Maura still seemed confused, but shook it off and happily followed Jane to the dance floor. Jane linked their hands together and put her free hand on Maura's back. "Just so you know, I'm a terrible dancer" she confessed.

"I doubt that."

"It's true" Jane continued. "Two left feet."

Maura laughed slightly. "Then just follow my lead. For once this night."

Jane did and then they were swaying to the music. And they both agreed it was a success when Jane only stepped on Maura's foot two times.

"By the way, your mother is completely convinced that we're dating. So I guess your plan worked" Jane smiled.

"How do you know?" Maura asked and looked up at Jane.

"We talked while you were gone, and she asked me what I first liked about you. And then she practically cried and said that it was easy to see how much I loved you. And that everyone could see we had chemistry."

"So what did you say?"

Jane looked confused back at Maura as the music went over to a more romantic tune. "To what?"

"When she asked you what you liked about me." Maura grinned when Jane laughed.

"You're pushing your luck, Maura…"

Somehow none of them seemed to notice how they slowed down according to the music.

"It was worth a try."

The hand on Jane's shoulder suddenly slid down her arm and sneaked its way around to her back. Their linked hands settled safely against Jane's shoulder, and Maura leaned closer, resting her head on the other.

It seemed like Jane was the first to realize their position. She swallowed loudly, and knew Maura had to notice it. But the blonde didn't move and it made Jane even more nervous. "Maura…?" she whispered.

"Mhm?"

"Remember that talk we had earlier? And the hypothetical situation of us in a rather romantic setting?"

Maura lifted her head from Jane's shoulder. "Yes?"

Jane chuckled, almost embarrassed by it all. "That's not hypothetical anymore…" Her eyes flicked over their hands and bodies.

Maura finally seemed to get a grasp on what Jane was trying to say. "Oh…" she whispered.

Their eyes locked and for a few seconds, it was nothing but the music all around them. "I… I know I said we managed to convince your mother…" Jane started. "But I still feel like I should kiss you… Kinda like the last drop."

 _Yeah… big ass trouble…_

She wasn't sure what she was expecting from Maura at that moment. Maybe she had taken the whole thing a bit too far, but she couldn't take back her words either. It took a while but eventually Maura breathed out, and Jane thought she could see the beginning of a smile.

"Okay" Maura whispered and her eyes lowered to Jane's lips. "Since you shaved and all…"

Jane couldn't help but laugh, and she had to restrain herself. "Oh my god. You are…" she trailed off, not knowing what word could describe Maura in that moment.

"I'm what?" Maura prodded but smiled.

"I'm not sure… I'm kinda lost for words… but just smile afterwards, okay?"

When Maura nodded, Jane threw a quick glance in Constance's direction, making sure they were being watched. She would feel pretty stupid if she had kissed Maura and no one had noticed it! Constance was indeed watching them, having a clear view to whatever Jane did.

"I'm just gonna lean closer" Jane said low. "Cause we are being watched, and I'll just say some words before I pretend to say… that I love you." She felt Maura's nose brush against her own before she once again kissed those soft lips.

Maura played along from the first touch, but Jane made sure to make it a short kiss, not wanting to risk anything, whether it was her own sanity or the Isles women's reputation. Making out at a charity dinner didn't really seem like something Maura would normally do. But she did smile when Jane pulled away.

After sharing some more convincing looks, they returned back to the table, hand in hand. But when Jane was about to sit down, Maura pulled at her hand, denying her.

"I hope you don't mind, but Jane and I are leaving" Maura stated to her mother.

Both Jane and Constance looked at Maura, Jane a tad more surprised.

"Oh, of course I don't mind, darling. I'll walk you out."

A part of Jane was relieved the night was finally coming to an end, although it meant her "job" was over too. It was fun putting on a show like this, especially with a woman like Maura. As they stepped outside, Jane tried to get a hold of their driver while Constance turned to Maura.

"It was so nice to see you both tonight. I'm glad you brought Jane so I could meet her."

"I didn't have much of a choice really" Maura smiled, again avoiding a lie. "I will see you tomorrow. Good night, mother." She was about to give her mother a hug, but Constance obviously had other plans.

"Oh, that's right! Jane, you will join us won't you?"

Jane, who hadn't heard their conversation, spun around. "What? I'm sorry, I was… not paying attention."

"Lunch tomorrow" Constance explained. "You will join me and Maura, right?"

Maura had a look of despair and total surrender on her face. They had been so close to leaving, so close to getting away from it all, and then she just had to open her mouth.

Jane studied Maura's face, tried to get eye contact. And when Maura finally looked up, Jane saw the plea in her eyes. She moved her attention to Constance. "Oh… I… think so" she stuttered.

"Oh wonderful!" Constance beamed. She proceeded to kiss Maura's cheek before moving on to Jane. "I will see you tomorrow then. Have a good night, girls."

Maura mumbled a second good night before she grabbed Jane's arm and headed for their limo which pulled up. Jane opened the door for Maura and they didn't share a word until they drove away.

"I am so, so sorry" Maura sighed. She reached for the champagne and poured herself a glass.

"It's okay, Maura. I can handle a lunch date."

"No, it's not okay. I can't keep dragging you into this. We'll find an excuse. I don't care if she'll be sad."

"It's one day, Maura, and she lives in freaking France! It's not like she'll just show up at your door one night and ask where I am."

Maura sipped at her champagne, and Jane turned to her. "Look, it's up to you, okay. I won't be mad whatever you decide. But we've already put on one hell of a show, one lunch with your mother wouldn't be a difficult task now. And I'll pretend for another day, I don't mind. But it's your call."

It took Maura more than a few minutes to process it all. She was still worried about how things would be after this weekend. How would her and Jane 'break up', and when? Would Maura have to continue the lie for a while to her mother? Jane had been right, they had put on quite the show that night, and for them to break up in a week or two just didn't seem believable.

She shook her head as she thought about the mess she had created. They sat in silence until the driver stopped in front of Maura's house, and they got out. Apparently Jane was lost in thoughts as well, cause it wasn't until Maura found her keys in her purse that Jane came crashing back to reality. She started laughing. "I don't live here!"

Maura looked at the keys in her hands and then at Jane. "No, you don't" she laughed as well. The driver was supposed to drop off Jane at her place first, but none of the girls had remembered to tell him. "But since you're here… want to have a drink with me? I believe I still have one of your beers in my fridge. We can figure out what to do tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure… I'd like that" Jane nodded.

They stepped inside and Maura found Jane her beer and treated herself to a glass of wine. Jane was already on the couch, shaking off her blazer like she was coming home from a long day. Maura slipped off her high heels and joined Jane on the couch, sitting down at the end and tucked her legs underneath her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure" Jane replied and turned to Maura.

"Why do you do this?"

"Do what?"

Maura rested her arm on the back of the couch. "Why do you offer to keep up this charade for me?"

Jane smiled and put down her beer on the table. "Believe it or not, but I had a lot of fun tonight. And like I said, we've been through the worst. I don't see why I shouldn't help you out one more day. It's not like I have anything better planned."

"You had fun lying to everyone?"

"You make it sound so bad" Jane laughed. "I liked playing a role. It was different, and I like a challenge. And I like you as well, I like hanging out with you. I don't know how to describe it, but it's easy, relaxing." She suddenly heard herself, and combined with Maura's slightly shocked look, it made her blush. "I mean… not _like_ like you. But like… I wouldn't mind if we stayed friends after our break-up."

It was Maura's turn to laugh, and Jane sighed.

"You're messing with me… Very funny, Maura" she said, voice full of sarcasm but eyes still smiling. "But come on, you like hanging out with me too. Right? Remember I'll know if you lie, oh wait, you can't lie…"

"You are right. I like hanging out with you too" Maura answered truthfully. And just like that all of Jane's words made sense. Easy, relaxed, comfortable.


	6. Wherever You Go

"No, honey… I'm not working tomorrow. My vacation starts tomorrow, remember?" Jane stroke the arm next to her and was rewarded with a confused look. "Oh… you didn't know…" She felt like she was sinking. "You thought it was still two more weeks?"

Maura just looked at her, and Constance was watching them from the other side of the table.

Jane sighed and looked at the other Isles woman. "There was a mix up at work" she lied. "And I wasn't sure when I would have my vacation…" She turned back to Maura who was still looking at her. "I think we misunderstood each other." She squeezed Maura's hand and silently let out a deep breath. Did anyone really buy that? And by anyone she really meant Constance.

"So are you two doing something special on your days off?"

"We haven't made any plans yet" Jane rushed, thankful that Constance swallowed the lie whole. "Since nothing was confirmed at work…"

Maura started to eat the leftovers from Jane's plate, both nervous and anxious. Jane quickly changed the subject and made Constance do the talking for a while. And when she excused herself and left the table, Jane let out a huge sigh of relief. "Holy crap…"

"Yes…" Maura agreed. "I'm starting to believe it was a good thing you kissed me last night… that might've been the final drop as you said. Because this is really not very good acting…"

Jane burst out laughing before she pretended to be insulted. "Okay, that was just mean, and funny… and completely true! Jesus Christ… this is a disaster."

They were barely through the meal, and there had already been three situations where they really had to fight to keep their story together. Jane had obviously underestimated a simple lunch with Maura's mother. After several long minutes, Constance returned to the table.

"I am sorry, I just had to make a phone call."

"No problem" Jane smiled and quickly looked at her watch. It was still over an hour until Constance's train left Boston. She looked over at Maura while Constance started talking about a new topic. Jane relaxed a bit and ordered coffee for them all when the waiter came for their empty plates.

After another fifteen minutes, Constance's phone rang and she looked down at it. "It's your father, excuse me" she smiled and left. This time she was barely gone for a minute, and was clearly very enthusiastic when she returned. "I have a wonderful surprise for you!"

Jane sensed danger right away and struggled to keep her mask. "Oh…?"

"Yes, now, Maura, I know what you are going to say…"

Maura instantly grabbed Jane's hand under the table and squeezed it hard.

"But I couldn't help myself. Jane, my husband would love to meet you, and I would certainly like to spend more time with you, with both of you. So I called my husband to see if there were any tickets left so you and Maura could join us to the Bahamas this week."

"No… mother, you didn't!?"

Fingernails dug into Jane's flesh and she had to bite her lip to not say anything.

"There were two seats on a flight tomorrow from Boston. Of course, we'll be on different flights, there's no point in you coming to New York first, but that won't be a problem, right?" Constance never waited for an answer, she was so excited and completely ignored everything until she was done. "You'll have your very own bungalow of course, you don't have to babysit us old people" she laughed.

Jane was sure either her hand or her lip was bleeding by this time.

"We understand you want your privacy. We are not going to disturb you, we just thought it would be a great gift from us. I do hope we can have dinner some days and spend some time with you, but we won't intrude. I know you'll probably want to have some romantic time together."

"Mother…"

"Mrs. Isles…"

Both totally ignored.

"Now, don't worry about a thing, this is our treat. All is paid for. You don't have any plans this week, do you darling?" Constance finally silence and looked at her daughter.

Maura seemed completely lost. "N-no, mother… but-"

"Wonderful! Now…"

Jane slowly turned to Maura while Constance repeated everything at least twice, how they would have their privacy, they could take romantic walks on the beach, watch the sunset… Maura did the same and met Jane's eyes. Both seemed clueless. While Constance chattered in the background, Jane tried to think of something to say or do. Or just come to some sort of agreement with herself if this was something she would and should do. Would she do this for Maura? Absolutely. Should she? Most likely not.

Constance's phone rang again, but this time she didn't leave the table. It was her husband again. Jane took the opportunity to lean closer to Maura so they could at least whisper. "What do we do?"

Maura sighed and shrugged. She looked defeated. "I don't know…"

"I feel bad if I say no… but I can't accept a paid vacation, Maura."

"They don't care about the money, Jane."

Jane noticed Constance was about to end her call, and took a rash decision. "Yes or no?" she asked Maura, just to be sure.

"You decide. I wouldn't feel comfortable asking you to do this…"

Constance put down her phone again and then pushed a piece of paper towards them. "Here's the flight information. You'll be arriving about 90 minutes after us, but we will wait for you at the airport. We'll have a car waiting. Okay?"

Jane stared at the paper like it was about to attack her. Words were racing through her head, some of them not even close to being appropriate. She probably went through every bad word she had ever learned. She looked over at Maura again, trying to give her a questioning look. Just to be sure, one final time. Maura tried to smile.

"I…" Jane cleared her throat and looked at the paper again. Across the table a pair of anticipating eyes was watching her. She took a deep breath and decided to just dive in head first. "Sounds perfect!" She reached for the paper, folded it as neatly she could with one hand and pushed it towards Maura.

It looked like Constance was about burst into tears as she gleefully exclaimed how wonderful everything was. Maura's grip on Jane's hand loosened a bit, but the nails had left an impact. Constance continued her monologue until Maura finally released Jane's hand and cleared her throat. "Mother, I think we should get you going. You don't want to miss your train."

"Oh… yes, perhaps I should. Do you think it will take long to get a cab?"

Maura was already up on her feet and reached for her purse. "No, it shouldn't take long."

"Just let me settle the check-"

"No, let me!" Jane interrupted and almost scared Constance. "Please, I insist. I want to since you're buying us a vacation…"

Constance seemed like she was about to object, but the look in Jane's eyes convinced her not to. "Thank you, Jane."

"You guys go ahead, I'll meet you outside."

Maura smiled at Jane before she gave her mother a little shove to get her going. And as Constance walked away, Maura gracefully slipped Jane a credit card and looked strictly at her. "Do not use anything else to pay" she whispered and left.

Jane just smiled and motioned for their waiter. She quickly paid for their lunch and when she accepted the receipt she almost passed out when she saw the amount. That the Isles women liked the finer things in life wasn't really news to Jane anymore, but still… it was just food! She grabbed Maura's card and shook her head as she got up. "Thank you, honey…" she mumbled to herself and laughed.

The cab arrived just as Jane stepped outside to join the two women. Some hasty words were exchanged before Maura assured her mother they would see her the next day, and then Constance was on her way.

"Wanna take a walk in the park before we leave?" Jane asked immediately.

"Yes, please" Maura nodded.

They walked in silence the few blocks to the park and Jane guided them to the first available bench she saw. Both sat down with a sigh, needing some time to digest the eventful day. Despite all the people spending the summer's day out in the park, it was peaceful around them. Maura was the first one to break the silence between them.

"I will forever be in your debt for this" she sighed and turned to Jane.

"No, you won't" Jane laughed. "You will have paid off your debt after a week with me… trust me, you'll break up with me on the flight home!"

Maura couldn't stop the giggle that slipped. "I doubt that, Jane. You're not that awful to be with."

"Oh honey, that's so sweet of you to say" Jane teased before they both laughed.

"I suppose laughing about this is the best thing to do right now…"

Jane slowly nodded before they went silent again. They both knew they were thinking about the same thing. And Jane knew Maura was more nervous about it all than she was. Of course, that had much to do with the fact that Jane was an expert in lying while Maura couldn't even think about a lie without having a small panic attack.

"You know…" Jane started after thinking some more about the upcoming week. "It's not that bad when you think about it. She said they would pretty much leave us alone most of the time. And if they're not around, we don't have to pretend. We could just be two friends hanging out… on a beach… in the Bahamas…"

"Watching the sunset with a glass of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries" Maura added and chuckled.

Jane laughed while she ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm glad you know what I'm trying to say!"

Maura shifted on the bench, trying to face her body towards Jane instead of constantly turning her head. "I understand what you're trying to say. And you're right. We can just hang out, like we do now. And I also know how persistent my mother can be, she rarely takes no for an answer. We really didn't have much of a choice."

"No kidding… I felt like I was insulting the queen if I said no…"

"Exactly."

"So, do you think we'll be okay? I mean, on an island, with your parents, when we barely know each other?"

Maura laughed and pushed back a strand of hair from her face. "I think we should take one day at a time. Or even an hour at a time. And maybe start by packing…"

"Oh shit" Jane sighed. "I have to find my suitcase… and do a crap load of laundry…" She noticed the slightly annoyed look in Maura's eyes and smiled. "Sorry, honey, I'll work on my language" she winked.

She still wasn't used to the terms of endearment from Jane, so Maura just shook her head. "One hour at the time" she whispered before getting up. "Come on, I'll drive you home. _Honey."_

* * *

 ** _AN:_** To Bostonian Fan: I don't mind the questions at all, I love when the readers engage in the story like you do :)

About Maura's job; I did think about it, but decided not to go there. I will let you use your imagination on this.  
And I don't know why Jane was at the bar either. Everything you've read so far was written within 48 hours, so I can't say I gave the storyline a lot of thought! I didn't intend for it to be as long as it is either (more chapters ahead as you can probably tell from this chapter...).  
The mother-in-law comment was just not meant to be serious. Just a sarcastic thought in Jane's head I guess.

And to guest who asked if this was inspired by Picture Perfect: No. I can't even remember what that movie was all about! But I was inspired by a lesbian movie called "Out at the wedding".


	7. Let The Games Begin

**AN:** You guys are amazing... Seriously! I love all your reviews, wish I had the time to reply to each and every one.  
I have not edited this story much, no beta either, so I understand it might've been confusing in the previous chapter. But Jane's vacation really starts here. She didn't lie about that, just the part with the mix up at work. To try and explain why Maura didn't know about the vacation...  
Oh, and I also imagined Maura working for the Isles foundation. Not that it's important now. Also; all the issues between Maura and her father is non-existent in my story.  
Please note that I can't keep up with the daily updates from now, as I'm still writing this story. I am closing in on the end though. So it shouldn't be too long between updates. But for now: Let the games begin!

* * *

Time went by so quickly that Jane had barely any time to let it all sink in. One minute she was home in her own apartment doing laundry, and suddenly she found herself standing outside a beautiful and luxurious bungalow in the Bahamas.

Everything had gone smoothly that day, flight was on time, she couldn't really complain about first class either. Meeting Maura's father, Arthur, was just as easy. He was quite the opposite of his wife, calm and easy to talk with. And quiet. His wife talked most of the drive from the airport, and Jane had never been happier to get out of a car. It was still early in the afternoon, and before they went their separate ways, Constance only wanted a promise that they would have dinner together later that day. It had caused Maura and Jane to exchange a look and smile, both surprised.

And so Jane walked into what would be their room for the next week, jaw on the floor and a bunch of words she didn't say out loud. The bungalow consisted of three rooms, living room followed by bedroom and bathroom. The Isles family certainly went all out. The rooms were nothing like Jane was used to, exclusive tiles on the bathroom, shower with glass doors and a bathtub. Everything from the small bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower, to the folded towels on the shelf was perfect.

In the bedroom, folding doors covered one of the walls, making the view from the double bed nothing less than spectacular. Jane instantly opened the doors all the way and threw herself on the bed. All she could see was the beach and the ocean. "Yeah, I can get used to this" she sighed and folded her hands behind her head.

Maura put down her suitcase by the wall and looked at Jane sprawled out on the bed. She slipped off her shoes, but didn't move. "Uh, Jane?"

"Yeah?"

She hesitated, obstacle number one on their trip and she had no idea how to approach it. "Who…" She trailed off. "Never mind."

Jane sat up and swung her feet over the edge. "No, what's up?"

Maura tried to convey her question without words and alternated her look between Jane and the bed. And eventually Jane got the point.

"Oh, right. You take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch. Like I probably would do at home anyway." She tried to laugh it off.

"I don't feel comfortable taking the bed, Jane. We can switch."

Jane got up and shook her head. "No way. You're already stuck with me for a week, the least I could do is let you have the bed." Maura opened her mouth to protest, but Jane shook her head again. "Nope! Don't try, Maura. You take the bed." Just to stress how serious she was, Jane picked up Maura's shoes and placed them neatly by the bed. "There. You've claimed the bed." Then she smiled and went out into the living room and her own bed.

Maura followed close behind. "Sometimes you can be very serious, yet equally silly. I don't understand how you do it" she smiled.

"You're not the only one" Jane laughed.

From the living room, you could access a front porch that stretched along the entire cottage. Even though the cottages were placed close enough that you could talk to your neighbor, the palm trees and bushes provided privacy all around. Jane stood outside and took in the view of the ocean in front of her. From the porch she could step right onto the beach, a private beach reserved for the 10 bungalows. She couldn't see a single soul from where she stood, and the peace that surrounded her was intoxicating. This certainly wasn't Boston. Footsteps made her turn around and she saw Maura coming out from the bungalow, wearing a light sundress. "You look nice" Jane smiled.

"Thank you… Ready to go?" Maura closed the door before she walked over to Jane.

"Ready."

They decided to walk along the beach the short distance to the bungalow two houses down where Maura's parents stayed. When they were close enough to spot Arthur out on the porch, Maura reached for Jane's hand and they walked up to him smiling.

Constance stepped out as they arrived. "Oh, good, you're here. We were just about to go get you. Someone is hungry." She smiled and whipped her head towards Arthur. "What did you think of the place?"

"Oh god… it's freaking amazing" Jane blurted out.

"Yes, it's lovely" Maura concurred.

"I'm glad to hear. Shall we?" Constance looked at her husband since he was the only one sitting down.

"Yes, dear" he smiled and got up.

Jane grinned at Maura when she heard it and they slowly started to walk. "Are you hungry, _dear?_ " she whispered.

Maura quickly hushed her but had no chance at keeping her smile away.

Dinner proved to be an experience in itself. Jane was pretty sure she would never come closer to a more romantic dinner in the rest of her life, despite the 'in-laws' sitting across from them. The restaurant was, like almost everything else, located right near the beach. And with the sun setting in the ocean, it couldn't be better. Of course, she could've been there with a real girlfriend, someone she truly loved and couldn't imagine a life without. But Jane had never been that kind of girl, so a pretend girlfriend like Maura was just as good.

Desserts were served, and Maura, who had decided she didn't feel like anything sweet, looked longingly at the brownie in front of Jane. "That looks really good…"

"Yeah?" Jane laughed. "You want a piece?" She scooped a corner of the brownie on the spoon and held it up.

"Maybe just a tiny piece" Maura smiled innocently.

Jane raised the spoon and watched as the chocolate disappeared between Maura's lips.

 _Ho-ly-fuck!_

A small crumble was left behind on the bottom lip, and a tongue quickly darted out and captured it. Jane tore her eyes away from those soft lips and took a chunk off the brownie herself, making a mental note to herself to never watch Maura Isles eat anything with chocolate ever again.

"Mmm, that was really good!" Maura almost moaned.

Jane just nodded and stared down at her plate. A hand reached out and stole the spoon out of her hand, and she looked up to see Maura stealing a bigger piece of her brownie. Laughter from across the table suddenly made her aware that they were not alone. "I knew she would steal whatever I took" Jane smiled and looked at Constance and Arthur who she had completely forgotten about.

"She is not the only Isles to do that" Arthur tried to whisper across the table, but wasn't successful at all.

Constance gasped, and Jane laughed. She couldn't even reply before another piece disappeared from her plate. "Okay, that's it" she smiled and pushed the plate over to Maura. "You obviously want it so dig in."

"No, no, I'm not taking your dessert" Maura argued and put down the spoon to prove her point.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Maura pushed the plate back to Jane before she reached for her drink.

Jane eyed her, not sure she really believed it. And in the back of her mind, she decided to tease her girlfriend. She took a bite of the brownie before she put down the spoon again and struck up a conversation with Arthur. The plate was conveniently sitting between her and Maura, and Jane totally ignored it. She pretended to be completely immersed in the conversation, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw every movement Maura made. At first the brownie was left alone, ignored. But then an arm came to rest on the table, fingers playing with the table cloth and Jane smiled for herself. Another sip of the glass and the other arm rested on the table as well. And finally Maura caved.

"Should I order another one?" Jane asked as she looked at Maura who was caught red-handed with the spoon in her mouth.

Arthur and Constance laughed again, and Maura blushed while she slowly put down the spoon. "No…" she mumbled before she started chewing.

Jane grinned and suddenly leaned back towards Maura and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Take the rest, honey."

Maura's cheeks turned into a deeper shade of red, and Jane couldn't look away. They both smiled at each other before Maura picked up the spoon. "Thank you" she mumbled shyly.


	8. Ocean Princess

"Jane. Jane, wake up."

Someone gently nudged her shoulder and Jane cracked open an eye. "What?" she mumbled and her head fell to the side.

"I know you like to sleep… but my parents are on their way over for coffee, so could you either get up or at least move to the bed?"

Jane grunted and tossed on the couch, trying to fight it.

"Please Jane, you can't be sleeping on the couch when they get here."

"Fine" Jane sighed and stretched. "You win, honey, I'll get up…" And she opened her eyes and stared right up at Maura who was smiling.

"Rehearsing in your sleep? You're really taking this seriously" she winked.

"Sorry" Jane laughed. "It just slipped out."

"Oh no worries, I'm getting used to it…"

Maura walked away and Jane hauled herself up in a sitting position. She usually needed some minutes to wake up in the morning, but Maura's words and the wink forced her up in matter of seconds. That and Maura's parents coming over of course. She quickly gathered her clothes, pillow and blanket and rushed into the bedroom and closed the door. She couldn't help but smile. Maura was getting used to Jane calling her honey.

It seemed to be easier for each time to slip into the role as Maura's girlfriend. As soon as Arthur or Constance was around, Jane automatically switched Maura's name to 'honey', touched her more often and was generally attentive. Even Maura was more relaxed now that they didn't have to go through the basics like how they met. She didn't have to come up with clever ways to avoid a lie.

After breakfast and deciding when to have dinner, Jane and Maura was alone again and they spent a few minutes debating what to do that day. It was the first time their differences really crashed; Jane wanted to go snorkeling or learn how to surf, Maura wanted to go sightseeing. Since they couldn't really go separate ways (in case her parents saw one of them), they agreed on spending the day at the beach.

Jane had already arranged a couple of sun beds and a parasol when Maura joined her. And Jane saw the first hint that spending the day at the beach was a mistake. She already knew Maura was beautiful, but a half-naked Maura was most certainly sexy. And when Maura removed her shirt, and shimmied out of her shorts, leaving her in a dark blue bikini, Jane didn't miss a single moment of it. Her eyes were glued to Maura's body until Maura sat down and caught Jane's eyes.

"Something wrong, Jane?"

"What? No…, nothing's wrong." She swallowed and wondered how she was supposed to survive a whole day with a goddess next to her.

"Could you do my back for me?" Maura smiled and held up a bottle of sun cream.

Jane's throat was dry, and she just nodded and accepted the bottle. Maura lay down on her stomach and brushed away the hair from her neck. With careful movements, Jane applied the sun cream and tried not to focus on the skin underneath her fingertips. This was way worse than kissing Maura's cheek, worse meant in the best possible way of course. Even though all their kisses, lips or cheeks, were pretty much imprinted in Jane's mind, touching Maura's naked back was too intimate for Jane's sake. She quickly finished the task and went back to her own sun bed.

"Thank you" Maura smiled as she sat up.

"No problem" Jane mumbled. She leaned back on the bed and exhaled slowly. But when Maura started to apply the sun cream to her arms and chest, Jane knew she had to get away. She got up and looked towards the ocean. "I need to cool down, it's too hot already" she blurted out. And then she wanted to hit herself for the double and even triple meaning in her words. Maura simply smiled before Jane jogged into the water.

She dived into the somewhat cold water and let it surround her before she surfaced, turned over on her back and just floated while staring up at the sky. The water covered her ears and effectively drowned out everything but her own thoughts.

 _Okay, you're losing your grip here. You can't be… falling for her. Am I? No… I can't be. I shouldn't. It's just a crush, I've been single for too long, but damn she's gorgeous._

 _So if I'm falling for her, which sounds stupid, I can't tell her, or anyone else. So I would basically be torturing myself. Well, that wouldn't be the first time. Besides, I'm already tortured and the day has barely begun!_

 _But going sightseeing with her wouldn't be much better, would it? Yeah, she would probably wear something that covered more tha- oh no don't go there!_

 _Moving on, what if I had the choice between going sightseeing with her, or snorkeling by myself… what would I choose? Crap, I really am falling for her…_

Water splashed as Jane's palms hit the surface in frustration and she made contact with the bottom again. She looked towards the shore and saw Maura was done with the sun cream and was reading. Jane slowly swam back and as she was getting out of the water, she looked down the beach and found Constance and Arthur waving at her. They were close enough to see whatever her and Maura was doing. Jane waved back before she padded up to her sun bed and pulled it a bit closer to Maura. "Your parents can see us" she explained when Maura put down her book.

"Oh, okay. How was the water?"

"Delicious" Jane smiled and sat down. "You should try it."

 _Danger, danger! Maura Isles coming up from the water is not what you need to see!_

"I will join you the next time."

Jane lay back on the bed and stared up at the sky again. It was gonna be a long, long day.

* * *

Two trips to the store for ice cream and snacks. One trip inside to see if there was any sport at all on tv. And one nap. Jane was about to go crazy. Relaxing on the beach was one thing, but lying on a bed and try not to melt in the sun was not her kind of relaxing. But it seemed to be perfect for Maura. So when it was finally time to get ready for dinner, Jane couldn't be more ready to get off the beach. She hit the shower first, knowing Maura would spend twice as long, and Jane could use that time to watch tv without feeling guilty. She was halfway through a talk show when she heard a small whimper coming from the bedroom.

"Jane? Can you come in here? I need your help…"

"Yeah, sure." She tossed the remote on the couch and got up. In the bedroom, Maura was sitting on the edge of the bed in a skirt and holding a towel to her very bare upper body. "Uhm, what's wrong?" Jane asked and sensed a new danger.

"I'm burnt… and it hurts" Maura almost whispered. She stood up and turned her back to Jane.

"Ouch" Jane laughed softly. Maura was indeed burnt on her back. "Yeah, you're burnt alright. That's what happens when you fall asleep in the sun…"

"No lectures, please. Can you help me instead?" Maura pouted.

Jane knew Maura was doing it on purpose, sticking out that lip so Jane wouldn't be able to do anything but tend to her every need. "I never should've told you about that pouting…" Jane sighed but reached for the lotion that Maura had placed conveniently next to her on the bed.

Maura smiled again. "Thank you…"

Jane could feel the heat from Maura's skin even before she had touched her, and she had to keep herself from laughing at the idea that formed in her head. She gently applied the lotion, trying to let her fingers glide over the red skin. "God, you're hot" she flirted intentionally. She could feel how Maura tensed underneath her fingers.

"Excuse me?"

"You're so hot…" Jane sighed. She waited until it looked like Maura was about to step away from her and then she laughed. "Your skin, Maura. It's really warm."

Maura's shoulders lowered and she chuckled. "Oh… of course."

"I will keep messing with you if you keep pouting like that. That's just fair." Jane's hand moved over Maura's lower back before she claimed she was done.

"That is a good point. I will try to remember that from now on. And thank you."

"No problem" Jane replied softly. She put the bottle down on the bed again and walked out of the room.

She tried to return to the show on tv, but after two minutes she heard a frustrated sigh coming from the bed room. "Jane… I need your help again…" Shaking her head, Jane got up again and entered the bed room. This time Maura had ditched the towel and was holding on to her bra that was barely hanging on to her shoulder, the clasp unhooked in the back.

"Can you fasten it for me?"

Jane didn't know what else to do than laugh. "Well, this is a first" she muttered as she walked over to Maura.

"What is? And please be careful…"

She did as she was told, and carefully hooked the bra. "Being called to help put _on_ a bra. It's usually the other way around…"

Maura slowly turned around to face Jane with mouth slightly open. "Oh…" she mumbled but then her face twisted into pain. "Oh god, it hurts! Unhook it!" she demanded and turned again.

Jane was almost scared by the look on Maura's face and unhooked the bra. "It's that bad?"

"Yes, I shouldn't be wearing a bra tonight, I need to find something else to wear."

Gone was the memory of Jane's comment and she turned on her heel and marched out of the room. She headed for the mini fridge and pulled out another beer to mentally prepare herself for the evening.

* * *

As the sun disappeared into the ocean, Jane found herself once again at the restaurant with Maura and her parents. The waiter had just come over to take their desserts order, and Jane looked at Maura by her side. "You want anything?"

Once again Maura declined.

"Okay… then I'll have a brownie" Jane continued and smiled. "And I'll try the cheesecake as well." She handed the menu back to the waiter who nodded and walked away.

"Still hungry, Jane?" Arthur asked and smiled.

"No, not really. I just can't seem to remember if that brownie was any good or not. It's like I didn't eat it at all yesterday." Her eyes slowly turned to Maura who was returning the gaze, but without the added smile. Both Arthur and Constance were laughing.

"You are so funny…" Maura managed to pretend she was insulted for exactly two seconds before she smiled.

"I know… part of why you like me" Jane teased. She didn't expect Maura to reply, so when a warm hand touched her arm, Jane was pleasantly surprised.

"That is true" Maura smiled.

Jane stared at the hand on her arm before she looked up into Maura's eyes. And she understood Maura was actually not lying.

The waiter returned with their desserts after a few minutes, and just like Jane thought, she ended up sharing them with Maura. She didn't mind though, at least not now when they had their own spoon. Still, Maura wanted a piece of both desserts, and Jane let her and simply shook her head.

"So, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Constance asked.

"I'm not sure, we haven't decided anything. But I would love to visit a market downtown. And perhaps some of the museums. I think I should stay out of the sun tomorrow" Maura said.

"Yes, I read about the market. We were talking about going too" her mother replied enthusiastically.

Jane realized she didn't really have a choice and smiled. "Why don't we all go then?"

"Really?" Maura turned to Jane with shock in her eyes. "You want to go to museums with me?"

"Yeah, of course" Jane laughed. "Don't be so surprised. I know you love stuff like that, and I want to spend time with you."

"Compromises" Arthur remarked. "It's what love is all about."

"Absolutely" Constance agreed.

Maura couldn't really argue with that and smiled at Jane. "Thank you… It wouldn't be the same going without you."

Once again the truth, and Jane was torn between leaning over and kiss Maura or get up and run away. She did neither, but settled for a hand on Maura's knee and a smile.

After saying goodnight to Maura's parents, they slowly walked along the beach to their bungalow. As they reached 'their' part of the beach, Maura stopped and cleared her throat. "Jane… can I ask you something? Personal?"

Jane stopped as well and turned around to Maura. "Yeah, go ahead."

"Are you… Do you like women in real life as well?"

She was not at all prepared for that question, and Jane laughed softly. "Yeah, I do. You didn't know that?"

"No, you never said anything and I didn't want to ask either. Until you made that comment earlier when you helped me with my bra…" Maura blushed when the words left her lips, but with barely any light around it was impossible for Jane to notice.

"Oh… I thought you knew." An awkward silence settled between them and Jane felt like a teenager again, wanting to kick the sand. "Is that a problem? I mean… with-"

"Oh, no! It's not a problem, Jane. I… I just wanted to ask. I was a bit unsure. Not that it matters. I don't mind."

"Good" Jane nodded. They stared at each other, both feeling the tension a simple question had made. "Anything else you want to ask me?"

Maura hesitated a brief moment before she shook her head and smiled. "No, it's okay. It's really not any of my business anyway."

Jane saw the opportunity to cut a knife through the tension and grabbed it with both hands. "That your girlfriend likes women is absolutely your business… in my opinion of course."

"Now you're being serious and silly again at the same time!" Maura laughed. "How do you do it?"

"That's classified, miss. I'm afraid you don't have the clearance to know that" Jane joked. "Come on, let's go. I'm hungry again…"

"But you just had two slices of cake!" Maura remarked as they walked up to their bungalow.

"No, I had two halves! Because someone, and I'm not gonna mention names, ate the rest."

Maura shook her head as they stepped onto the porch. "I will never hear the end of that, will I?" she smiled.

"Nope!" Jane grinned and opened the door.

* * *

 **AN:** T, those words coming from a brilliant writer like you still means a lot to me! Thank you!

And a massive thank you to all of you. I'm still beyond words...

Krazzy Kezz: You were follower no 300! AND also the 100th to mark it as favorite. Nice job! :)


	9. You Will Leave A Mark

There was no use trying to pretend she was remotely interested in whatever museums they visited. Jane simply tagged along and was completely wrapped up in her own thoughts. She still didn't understand how Maura didn't know Jane was gay from the beginning. She was almost certain she had told her, one way or another. But apparently she had been wrong. And now she couldn't help but wonder if it would affect their relationships, the real one and the fake one.

What if all of this made Maura insecure or curious in any way? What if she thought Jane didn't really pretend, but actually liked her more than just a friend or whatever they were? And would that be as bad as Jane suspected?

After a long day at museums and the market (which Jane actually liked cause she could have a beer with Arthur while the girls shopped) the four of them returned to their bungalows. Jane and Maura said goodbye to Arthur and Constance and started the short walk to their place. They had both removed their shoes to feel the sand between their toes, and Jane noticed they were still holding hands, like they had been most of the day. She couldn't remember who initiated it, but she knew they had been walking around the first museum linked together. As they approached the sunbeds in front of their bungalow, Jane looked towards the water that seemed really tempting at that moment. She felt hot and sweaty and wouldn't mind a bath to cool down. In the same moment as Maura released her hand to find the key in her purse, Jane got an idea.

"Maura, wait…" She dropped the shopping bags and shoes she was carrying and reached for Maura's hand again. "I need to say something…"

Maura seemed nervous right away from Jane's tone. "Okay…"

Jane removed the purse and shoes from Maura's hand and put it down on one of the beds. She held Maura's hands in hers and looked at her, pretending to be nervous too. "I… uh… I think we need to cool things down a bit…"

"I'm sorry…?"

She really struggled to keep a straight face as she stood there in front of Maura. "It's just… I don't know…" Jane sighed for effect.

"W-what's wrong?" Maura stuttered.

Jane knew she was being cruel, so she smiled softly and let go of Maura's hands only to quickly scoop her up in her arms. Maura screamed but wrapped her arms around Jane's neck for support.

"Jane!"

"Like I said… we need to cool down" Jane smirked, turned around and started walking out into the water.

"No! Jane!" Maura laughed. "Put me down!"

"Oh I will… in a minute." She was relieved to hear Maura laugh, that she didn't react the wrong way. The water was already up to her knees, and Maura kept complaining. Jane ignored it until she was waist deep and the water was tickling Maura's feet. She stopped and locked eyes with Maura, with a devilish grin on her face.

"Jane, don't you dare!" Maura tried to sound strict, but failed.

"Fine, I guess it's fair to give you a chance to convince me not to…" Jane smiled.

Maura sighed and shook her head. "How am I going to convince you?"

"That's up to you to find out." Jane pretended to lose her grip and Maura screamed as she thought she fell.

"No, Jane, please! You can have the bed! I'll sleep on the couch the rest of the week!"

Jane laughed when she saw the excitement in Maura's eyes; she truly believed she had the perfect offer. "Oh Maura…" Jane tilted her head. "I don't want the bed…"

"Then what do you want? Not that I should have to bargain with you on this…"

"Are you trying to reason with me? Oh no… that won't work."

Maura sighed and tightened her arms around Jane's neck. "Then what do you want?"

Oh, the possibilities… Jane couldn't really decide which way to take; the cruel way, the honest way, the logical way…? "I want you…" she almost whispered. "To fall into the water…" she added when Maura's eyes widened.

"No… please" Maura laughed. "If you drop me, I will take you with me. I have taken several self-defense classes…"

"Honey" Jane faked shocked. "Are you trying to threaten me?!"

Maura simply smiled.

"Okay, fine. I won't drop you, but not because you threatened me!" Jane stated. "Just so we're clear about that."

"You promise?"

"Yes, I promise I won't drop you."

"Thank you."

Jane smiled softly before she deliberately eased herself down into the water, pulling Maura with her. Maura screamed again and clung to Jane's neck as water surrounded her. The water was cool, but not as cold as Maura's screams made it sound like.

Maura extracted herself from Jane's arms and put her feet on the bottom. "You promised!"

Jane laughed. "I promised not to drop you, and I didn't."

Maura started laughing and shaking her head. "Jane Rizzoli, you are hopeless…" She started the slow walk towards the shore, leaving Jane behind.

And Jane was left with wide eyes and an open mouth. Maura was soaking wet, her top clung to her body and revealed every single curve as she moved away. Jane had clearly not thought this through and she wanted to turn towards the open sea and just swim.

"You are now banned from the bathroom and bedroom until I'm done getting ready for dinner" Maura smiled and looked over her shoulder. "Your punishment will be sitting in those wet clothes…"

Jane closed her mouth and swallowed before she slowly stood up and followed Maura.

 _Nope, not even close to my punishment._

* * *

She wasn't quite sure what woke her up the next night, but when she opened her eyes, Maura was standing by the couch looking down at her. "Hey… what's up?" Jane asked and rubbed her eyes.

"Can I stay here…?" Maura whispered.

Jane couldn't see much in the darkness and was about to say something when a flash of lightning struck followed by a deafening rumble of thunder. Maura jumped and drew in a shaky breath.

"Please?"

Jane instantly understood it was fear and nodded. "Of course. Come here."

Maura quickly slipped in under the sheet and curled up against her, face tucked against Jane's neck. Jane wrapped her arms around Maura and held on tight. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say so she just held Maura. The storm was raging outside with rain pouring down on the roof. Jane knew she wasn't exactly a light sleeper, but how could she have slept through all that noise?

Another crack of thunder made Maura shiver. Jane stroke her hair and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "What's worse, the lightning or the thunder?"

"Everything" was the short reply.

Jane smiled for herself. "Well, if you close your eyes, you won't see the lightning." She had no idea what she was saying or doing, and felt more stupid than comforting. "And the thunder is just sounds. It can't hurt you." A sudden urge to protect Maura rushed through Jane, and then she realized how right it felt to have her fake girlfriend in her arms. She tightened her embrace just to see if it was possible to have Maura any closer. "I won't let anything hurt you."

If Jane had had any hopes of getting through the week without falling too hard for Maura, it was all gone now. She already knew what it was like to kiss her, laugh with her and do nothing with her. Having her in her arms like this was the final piece. She could smell the sweet perfume, feel her breathing and it all felt exactly like everything else with this woman; easy, comfortable and right.

They didn't say much as they waited for the storm to pass. Jane whispered a few words of comfort (she hoped) whenever she felt Maura shudder, but as the storm slowly moved further away from them, Maura relaxed. None of them moved until the storm was too far away to be heard. Jane slowly lifted her head only to find Maura still with her eyes closed. It seemed like she had fallen asleep, and Jane carefully lowered her head and closed her eyes as well.

Jane was the first one who woke up the next morning. She felt the warm body against hers and immediately remembered why Maura was snuggled up against her. It made her smile and she slowly breathed out and closed her eyes again. She could might as well take advantage of the situation, even though there was no way she'd fall asleep again.

"I know you're awake" Maura suddenly said without moving anything but her lips.

"How did you know?" Jane asked and smiled.

"Your breathing changed."

Jane's shoulders shook in amusement. "Nothing gets past you…" Neither of them made any effort to move, and Jane realized that Maura must've been awake before her in order to notice the change in Jane's breathing. And she still hadn't moved. Jane took that as a good sign.

"I'm sorry I woke you and ambushed you in the middle of the night… I just really hate storms like that."

"Don't be. I just hope you felt better. Or safer…"

Maura nodded, and Jane could feel the smile against her neck. "I did. Thank you."

Jane's throat was dry and she struggled to get out any words at all. "Anytime." Her thumb carefully stroke across Maura's shoulder, but she stopped herself when she realized what she was doing.

"Can I be honest with you?" Maura whispered, still not moving a muscle.

"Of course…" Jane whispered back, scared it would be something that would completely ruin the tranquility she felt.

"I haven't been in a relationship in three years. I forgot how nice it can be to… cuddle. And I can't find the will to move away right now and get up."

 _Okay, relax, breathe normally, she noticed you were awake just by your breathing, you don't want her to notice your heart beating like crazy. Oh wait… her head is resting right above your heart…_

"We're on vacation, Maura. We can do whatever we want…" Jane tried to laugh it off, anything to hide the relief she was feeling. "And yeah, I forgot all about that too… It's coming back to me now though."

"So you don't have a girlfriend back home in Boston?"

Jane had to laugh. "No, I don't. If I did, you really think she would let me go to paradise to pretend to be your girlfriend for a week?"

"No… maybe not" Maura smiled.


	10. Replay

The day went on and neither of them mentioned the cuddling. It was like it had never happened, except Maura found herself constantly drawn to Jane, always seeking something, even if it was just a hand on her shoulder. After so much time without any intimacy, every touch left her craving for more. She wanted to feel a pair of arms embracing her again, wanted to hear the slow breathing of another person. She simply wanted to be close.

They returned back from an early dinner, and Jane went to check her phone. She loved going out without any connection to the real world, even if it was just for a few hours. After all, it was her vacation. That night she had a missed call from her mother and she decided to call back. She excused herself to Maura and went down towards the water while she waited for her mother to pick up.

"Hi honey! How is paradise?" Angela answered after a few rings.

"Well… it's paradise, I can't complain" Jane smiled.

"Good! Is everything going okay with you and Maura too?"

"Yeah, it's going great. No problems at all." She hadn't been able to keep the whole trip a secret from her mother, and when she first found out, Jane had told her everything. "Ma… I kinda need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, what is it?"

Jane couldn't believe what she was about to do. She never talked with her mother about stuff like this, but if she couldn't tell someone soon, she would go crazy. She sighed and shoved her hand in her pocket. "I think I'm falling for her…" It was silent on the other end. "And it freaks me out a bit. I'm in such a mess right now."

"Does she know?"

"No! Of course not. And I'm not gonna tell her either! She'll probably freak out too and we still have a few more days here. I don't want it to be all awkward between us…" She waited for a response, but the waves crashing against the shore was the only thing she could hear. "Ma… please say something…"

"I'm not sure what I should say, Jane. You seem to know what to do… and I agree. You shouldn't say anything. She is just pretending to be gay. Unless she has done something to indicate she might have feelings for you too. Has she?"

"I… I don't think so. I don't know, it's probably just wishful thinking."

"What is? You can tell me."

Jane hesitated for a few moments before she sighed and caved, telling her mother everything that had happened the night before.

Maura stood by the open doors in the bedroom and watched Jane pacing down by the water. Something was clearly bothering her, but eventually she hung up the phone and sat down on one of the sun beds. Maura waited a few minutes before she walked down to Jane. "Would you like some company or do you want to be alone?" she asked softly as she approached Jane.

"No, please stay. I like your company."

She sat down on the bed next to Jane and looked at her. "Everything okay with your mother?"

Jane nodded and smiled. "Yeah, everything's fine."

Maura didn't want to be too nosy so she turned her eyes towards the sun and the ocean. She wanted to be brave and tell Jane exactly how good it felt to fall asleep in her arms the night before, but the words didn't seem to work with her. All the small touches from that same day played on repeat in her head, and she decided to take another approach. "You probably noticed I was a bit clingy today… I'm sorry if it was uncomfortable for you."

Jane quickly looked at Maura and smiled. "It wasn't uncomfortable, Maura. Don't worry."

So she had noticed. "Good. It was just nice to finally be… close to someone again. It's been a while."

Jane nodded slowly. "I know what you mean."

They both kept their eyes on each other a few seconds, and Maura needed to know if Jane had the same thoughts as she did. It was just too awkward to actually say the words. She needed a way to say what she wanted, without saying it. She was good with words, it shouldn't be a problem for her. Except it was. She stared down at her hands, trying to think of something to say.

"Actually…" Jane interrupted Maura's thoughts. "Sometimes I wish I had someone I could just… cuddle with. I mean, we all need it from time to time. Someone I'm comfortable with, and things aren't awkward or tense or anything. Just easy… watch a movie maybe."

Maura couldn't help but smile, the words were like music, sweet and uplifting. "Or just watch the sunset…" she replied with ease. She looked back at Jane who was smiling.

"Come on" Jane almost whispered and reached out her hand. "Let's pretend your parents can see us…"

It took a lot of effort, but Maura managed to casually move herself over to Jane without looking too eager. She sat down between Jane's legs and slowly released a deep sigh when Jane's arms wrapped around her waist. "Now all we need is the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries."

Jane laughed behind her, but didn't say anything. And Maura didn't mind. She could happily sit there and watch the sun go down for the night. Strong arms around her, warm breath against her cheek and peace all around.

"This week hasn't been too bad, has it?" Jane asked as the sun was almost gone.

"Not at all. It has been fun. And I obviously picked the right woman for the job of fooling my parents. Even though I still can't believe I actually went through with this."

"No kidding" Jane laughed. "I can't believe it either after I've gotten to know you a bit better."

Maura smiled and was baffled over how easy it was with Jane. She was in Jane's arms, watching the sunset on the beach, probably looking like a couple, and still it wasn't embarrassing or awkward to talk about how they had pretended to be a couple for a week.

"How about we go for a few drinks to celebrate your successful plan?" Jane suggested. "It's Friday after all… and we should take advantage of the amazing drinks they have here with the colorful umbrellas."

"I'd like that" Maura chuckled. "I believe it will be a long time until I can go to a bar on the beach again."

"Exactly!"

"But only if you let me pay for everything." Maura knew Jane would object.

"No, I can't let you do that, Maura. I want to pay for myself."

Maura smiled for herself and shook her head. "Not acceptable. You sacrificed over a week of your time to do this, it's only fair."

"Yeah" Jane scoffed. "I sacrificed a week where I had nothing planned, just to go to paradise and pretend to be your girlfriend. What a sacrifice…" She laughed softly when she heard the words out loud.

"Jane… I insist. We're not going drinking unless I pay for it. Deal?" She waited a couple of seconds, and when she didn't hear anything, she knew exactly what Jane was doing. "And don't roll your eyes at me!"

Jane burst out laughing. "Holy shit, do you have eyes in the back of your head, or what? How did you know that?"

"Like you said, nothing gets past me" Maura smiled and knew she had won.

* * *

Maura stared down at the tiny glass filled with clear liquid and she scrunched her nose. "I don't see why anyone would do this. It tastes horrible!" She wiped her hand on her jeans before she turned to Jane.

"Well, you're not supposed to taste it!" Jane laughed. "You're supposed to just throw it down. This is the first time I've ever seen someone take a sip of tequila!" She couldn't stop laughing even though she tried. "I'm sorry, Maura, I don't mean to laugh at you…"

"But I like to try things first" Maura smiled. She knew Jane didn't mean to make fun of her in any way.

"Oh, I know! You did ask me to kiss you, remember? I still wonder what would've happened if you did freak out… But okay, so now you've tried tequila. Ready to do it properly?" Jane slowly pushed the salt closer to Maura and smiled.

Maura wasn't really sure, but she decided to try. She nodded and took a deep breath. "So, first salt, then the tequila and the lime, right?" She looked at Jane who was grinning.

"Yup! You're a fast learner, Isles." Jane grabbed the salt and turned to Maura. "Okay, so first, lick the skin between your thumb and forefinger." She demonstrated on her own hand, Maura followed her instructions. "And now the salt…" Jane sprinkled salt on their hands. "Then you hold the lime in the same hand."

Maura carefully picked up the lime and held it. "And now the tequila I assume." She got an affirmative nod and lifted the glass with her right hand.

"Alright, when you're ready, breathe out, lick the salt, down the tequila and bite the lime." Jane felt pretty smug for having talked the fancy Maura Isles into doing tequila shots with her, and even paying for it! Well, maybe not the last part, but at least it was Jane's idea to go drinking. "Ready?" she asked and smiled at the look on Maura's face.

"I suppose so…" she sighed and breathed out.

Jane watched as Maura did the shot, and when Maura bit down on the lime, her eyes closed and she shuddered and coughed next to Jane.

"Oh my god!" The sour taste of the lime combined with the tequila made her do all sorts of faces, and Jane laughed. "Why did you make me do this?" Maura laughed and finally opened her eyes only to find Jane still with her glass full. "And why haven't you done yours yet?"

Jane grinned. "I wanted to watch you do it first. And that was priceless! Cheers!" She lifted the glass before she did the same as Maura, but without all the faces at the end. Maura was already sipping on her exotic drink that looked more like orange juice than a drink, obviously trying to get rid of the taste.

"You made it look so easy!" Maura complained as Jane put down her glass.

"I've done it before, baby" Jane smirked but instantly looked away when she heard what she said. She cleared her throat and laughed shyly. "One more? Or have you had enough already?" she asked in an attempt to drown out the new nickname.

"Maybe later. I need to recover from this one" Maura smiled and shoved the glass further away from her. "But now I'm curious. What if I had freaked out when you kissed me? What would you have done? Would you still have gone through with this… charade?" She turned slightly on the chair so she was facing Jane.

Jane nodded and reached for her own drink. "Yeah. We didn't have a choice, did we? It would just have been a bit awkward instead. And I probably wouldn't have kissed you later that night."

"You didn't think it was awkward to kiss a complete stranger?"

"You didn't feel like a stranger…" Jane smiled and carefully turned her head to Maura. It wasn't even close to a lie. Almost a week later and Jane could still feel the touch of Maura's lips against hers, and it still surprised her how easy it had felt. An instant connection, like they had been kissing for years.

Now Maura was the one looking away, seemingly shy. She smiled softly and stirred in her drink with the straw. She really had no response.

* * *

 **AN:** Sloooooooowly getting there ;) But the night's not over yet!


	11. Do I Wanna Know?

Going out for drinks turned out to be a good idea, especially for Jane. Her conversation with her mother was tucked away (but not forgotten) and she managed to relax as she sipped on her drink. The bar was perfect in any way, no roof and therefore no crowded space, no floor (except for the dancefloor in front of the DJ) and if you couldn't relax dragging your toes through the sand while you were enjoying a drink, then you probably weren't able to relax at all.

She had lost count of the drinks, Jane only knew she had entered that feel-good state of mind, where she felt confident, things were light and funny and it felt good to be dizzy. Music boomed from the speakers and the dancefloor was crowded. And Maura was on the edge of the floor, swaying to the music. Which was why Jane had turned around on her chair and was watching the crowd. She didn't like to dance, and Maura knew that. So when Maura absolutely wanted to dance, she did it alone.

In her sweet daze, Jane never thought about looking away. She studied every move Maura made on the floor, didn't even care if Maura caught her looking. The music changed and a slow, but steady and almost seductive beat flowed from the speakers. A rough guitar riff followed and Maura changed her style; slower movements, eyes closed and hands in her hair. It was painful to watch for Jane and she emptied her drink in one big chug. But she couldn't look away either. Barely seconds later, she saw a guy inching closer to Maura, obviously hoping to dance with her. And Jane scoffed. Why was men always so presumptuous when it came to bars?

As soon as the guy put his hands on Maura's hips from behind, Jane jumped off her chair and swaggered towards them. She stopped right in front of Maura and looked at the guy square in the eyes. "She's mine." Maura gave no indications she had heard Jane claiming her, and Jane didn't care either. She only focused on the guy who was pretty much ignoring her. She obviously needed to change her tactics. Not caring about anything but getting rid of the guy, Jane took a step closer and put a hand around Maura's neck. They barely made eye contact before Jane pulled her close and claimed the familiar lips again.

There was a pounding in her ears when Maura kissed her back, and Jane wasn't sure if it was the beat of her heart or the beat from the music. It was all she could hear for a moment as Maura's hands came to rest on her hips. Neither of them noticed the guy shaking his head and disappearing into the crowd. Jane knew she was in trouble, but she couldn't stop her lips from moving. Maura's lips tasted sweet, exotic, like the drinks she had been having all night.

Someone bumped into them, causing Jane to lose her balance. Maura's lips slipped away from hers and they stood there looking at each other. Jane didn't know what to say and prayed that Maura wouldn't say anything either. They stood still in the middle of the moving crowd while the music still floated around them.

 _…_ _maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new, now I've thought it through…_

Maura was the first to react. She smiled before she started moving to the music again and hooked one arm around Jane's neck. Jane's body seemed to have a life on its own and followed Maura's movements.

"I thought you didn't like to dance" Maura said with a pleased smile.

Jane swallowed and tried to smile. "Yeah, well… sometimes I just have to…"

"Good. Your timing was perfect. I was tired of dancing alone."

She wanted to make some sort of comment about the guy, but Jane's head was empty. So she tried to forget everything and just dance. It was easier said than done. As soon as they silenced, the music invaded her mind and the lyrics got to her.

 _…_ _do I wanna know? If this feeling flows both ways…_

It was like everything was teasing her, pointing out how silly she was for crushing on a straight girl. Even Maura. She was dancing slowly, both her arms were now around Jane's neck and Jane couldn't find anywhere else to place her hands than on Maura's back. And then Maura made it even worse by singing along.

 _"_ _Crawling back to you… ever thought of calling when you've had a few…? Cause I always do…"_

Jane instantly pulled away and took a step back. "You want another drink?" she blurted out to Maura who seemed confused. She didn't wait for an answer and went back to the bar. She ordered two drinks, and as the bartender made the first drink, Maura came up to the bar and sat down next to Jane.

"And two tequila shots" Maura added to the order. Jane looked over at her with surprise written all over her face. "What?" Maura smiled. "Maybe I will like the third one better than the first two."

Jane rolled her eyes but laughed as the first drink showed up. When all four glasses were lined up on the counter, along with the necessary lime slices and salt, Maura reached for the tequila shots and pushed one towards Jane.

"And now we're doing it together! No watching me first" she ordered.

"Let's see if you can keep up" Jane teased and was already adding salt to her hand. All she wanted was to get past the dizzy state of mind, she needed to be drunk enough to not think clearly. Or else she would never survive the night.

* * *

"Do I wanna kno-o-o-w?" Maura sang loudly as they stumbled down the beach.

"Shhh! You're gonna wake the whole neighborhood, Maura!"

She looked down at her watch and laughed. "It's only 2.30, Jane! On a Friday! They should be out partying, like us!"

"Well, not everyone can be as young and hip as us!" Jane laughed before she suddenly stopped and grabbed Maura's arm. "Is this us?" she whispered and looked towards one of the bungalows.

"Is it?" Maura studied the building before she sighed. "They all look the same!"

Jane slowly walked towards the porch with a firm grip on Maura's arm. "I think it is. Try the key."

"Why me?! Why don't you do it? What if this isn't our bungalow? They might think someone is breaking in!"

Jane looked back at Maura and laughed silently. "Damn, you're so cute when you're worried! But come on, I'm sure this is us. And if it isn't, they would never think you were dangerous at all, so it's safe. Besides, _you_ have the key!"

"I can be dangerous!" Maura complained but only made Jane laugh again. "Fine, I'll prove it!" She found the key in her purse, stalked over to the door and inserted the key in the lock. Without hesitating she turned the key and lowered her shoulders when the door responded with a soft click. "This is us" she smiled over her shoulder.

Jane took a few steps closer and hovered over Maura's shoulder while she smiled. "You were so scared…" Then she opened the door and walked inside.

"I was not!" Maura laughed and followed. She made sure to lock the door behind her. "Why would I be scared when I have you to protect me?" She put down her purse on the couch and watched as Jane marched towards the bathroom.

But Jane simply scoffed. Maura kicked off her shoes and padded into the bedroom where her bed seemed really comfy. She sat down first, but within seconds she was curled up in a fetal position, closing her eyes.

"By the way" Jane mumbled as she poked her head out of the bathroom with her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. "I thought- oh no no no. Maura…" She walked over to the bed and pulled Maura up in a sitting position. "No sleeping before toothbrush! Come on. Get up."

Maura groaned but followed Jane into the bathroom where she managed to brush her teeth without falling asleep. Jane stood next to her and laughed, mostly because a drunk and sleepy Maura trying to brush her teeth was too cute to handle. But they made it through, and when Maura walked back to the bed, stepping out of her jeans at the same time, Jane wasn't laughing anymore. She stopped by the door and watched as Maura climbed into bed and closed her eyes. Jane slowly shook her head and breathed out before she walked through the room. "Good night, Maura" she almost whispered.

"Jane… wait" Maura mumbled and rolled over on her back. "Can you stay? In case someone breaks in… or there's a storm tonight…"

She didn't really know what took her so long, but after a few deep breaths (and a soft giggle), Jane lay down next to Maura who immediately moved herself closer. Jane watched as Maura positioned them both and it didn't take long before Maura was safely settled in Jane's arms again.

"Good night" Maura sighed and relaxed.

Jane felt her body relax as well when she snuggled closer and inhaled the sweet scent of Maura's shampoo. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, but what was she supposed to do?

* * *

 **AN:** The song in this chapter is Arctic Monkey - Do I Wanna Know?  
And yes, I do wanna know! :D Do you?


	12. A Sign of Things To Come

_"_ _Maura, Jane? Are you girls awake?"_

Constance's knocking woke them both up and Jane groaned. "God, what time is it?" She noticed Maura rolled away from her shoulder.

"9.30" Maura mumbled. "Does your head hurt as much as mine?"

Jane chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, if not more…"

Another round of knocking and Maura sighed. "Yes, mother, we are awake now!" she called.

 _"_ _Oh, we thought you might be out already. We brought breakfast."_

"Great, we'll be out in a minute!" Jane replied. She slowly turned her head to the left and met Maura's eyes. "Another day in paradise…"

Maura nodded and smiled before she got out of bed.

Maura hit the shower first after breakfast, and when Jane had showered and was somewhat ready to face the day, she saw Maura sitting down on the beach. She watched her for a few minutes before she made her way down to her. Maura was staring out into the ocean and didn't even acknowledge Jane's presence. "Hey, you okay?" Jane asked softly. Maura didn't reply, and Jane sat down next to her. She copied Maura's position and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Something wrong?"

"I don't know." Maura sighed and turned to Jane. "But nothing you should worry about."

Jane scoffed and shook her head. "Too late. I'm worried." No reaction and no sign that Maura was gonna say anything. "Look, Maura, I know we only met a week ago, but if you want to talk, I'll listen. You can trust me."

"Even if it's about you?"

"Especially if it's about me" Jane chuckled nervously, but quickly got serious again. "Have I done anything wrong?" She knew there was no way Maura had forgotten about the kiss the night before, they weren't that drunk. And Jane also knew she had kissed Maura completely out of the blue, and she couldn't explain why she did it. At least not an explanation Maura wanted to hear.

Maura shook her head. "No, you haven't done anything wrong, Jane. I'm just…" She trailed off and ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm confused" she sighed.

Jane swallowed and it took her a few tries before she managed to say the words out loud. "About what?"

"About everything…" Maura exhaled loudly and slowly shook her head. "I'm not sure if… if I'm pretending anymore."

"What do you mean?" Jane was sure her heart was about to jump out of her chest and bounce around like the Duracell bunny.

Maura crossed her legs in front her and combed her fingers through the sand. "Every time you act like my girlfriend, call me honey or playfully tease me, I turn into a huge smile. And not just on the outside. It's so easy to play along because I truly like it. There are so many chemical reactions I can't ignore, and it's all because you smile or say something or just look at me. I've tried to understand how and why and I keep getting the same explanation: that I'm attracted to you. Why else would I want to spend so much time with my parents because it means you would have to be close to me and act like you're in love with me? Not to mention how I kissed you back last night… Which sounds a bit weird to me, because I had never kissed a woman, or even thought about the possibilities before you came along. And suddenly you come crashing into my life and turn my life around in under a week! And I… don't know what to do right now."

Jane heard Maura drew in a nervous breath, and she felt like doing the same. This wasn't what she was expecting Maura to say, at all! Not that she knew what she was expecting. Seconds passed and Jane couldn't find anything to say. She could blurt out what she felt for Maura, but somehow she didn't believe that was the right way to go. "I… I really didn't expect this…" she finally managed to say out loud.

Maura stared into thin air. "Me neither. I'm aware I just made everything awkward and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, but I had to tell you."

"No, you didn't… I just don't know what to say…"

"You could say you don't feel the same so I can get over this…"

"No… I can't say that" Jane replied quickly and decided not to listen to her own advice on what was the right way to go. She smiled when Maura turned around shocked. "Cause that would be lying, and I don't want to lie to you."

It seemed to take a long time before the words finally registered in Maura's mind. "D-y.. um…d-do…" Maura blushed when she heard herself stutter.

"Try again" Jane smiled.

Maura took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Do you… do you have… feelings for me?" She didn't dare to look at Jane until a hand carefully reached out but changed its mind halfway.

"Yeah, I do" Jane whispered as she turned to face Maura. "Of course I do. You're beautiful, smart, you make me laugh and you have such a big and kind heart. You're compassionate, you always take care of the people around you, and I love having you in my arms. I actually wish for more storms, except I don't, because you don't like them…"

A low chuckle finally escaped Maura's lips and she lowered her shoulders. Jane just made it sound so easy. Everything Maura wanted to say but was afraid to say out loud. She wiped the sand off her hands and moved to the right so she was facing Jane, knees touching. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"And freak you out? No… No way. I had no idea you felt like this and I didn't want to make everything awkward while we're stuck here pretending."

"You do have a point there…" Maura smiled softly. "But… what do we do now? I mean… with us. Not that there is an 'us', I don't want to assume, but… I don't know" she rambled on. "It just seems like it is, or maybe I've become too familiar with this whole pretend thing and it sort of scares me that I like it. At the same time I'm terrified because all of these… feelings are new. It's like I'm waiting for that moment that will make me panic or freak out."

Jane was looking down at Maura's hands that were resting dangerously close to her own, and she felt brave when she reached out and efficiently silenced Maura. "What we do now is not up to me to decide. You are making the rules here. But we do have a couple of days left of our charade, and a very wise woman once said that we should take one day at a time. So maybe we should." Her thumb softly stroke over Maura's fingers and it was a mesmerizing sight.

"Yes, maybe we should" Maura agreed. "But… when all of this is over… what do we do? And don't say that it's not up to you to decide" she added with a smile.

"Okay I won't" Jane laughed. "But you didn't figure that out from what I said two minutes ago?"

"I don't want to guess… I want to hear it from you."

Jane looked up and wanted to kiss Maura's blushing cheeks. "When we get back to Boston, I want to see you again. Even if it's just as friends. But I can't really think about that now. Boston feels like it's a million miles away right now, and who knows, you might be sick and tired of me after this…"

Maura replied with a silent eye roll which again caused Jane to laugh. "I doubt I will be tired of you after this, so I would like to see you again too."

"Don't be too sure, there's plenty of time for me to get on your nerves" Jane winked.

"And you're obviously trying…"

They both laughed before a comfortable silence settled between them. Jane looked at the small hand in hers and smiled. There was a lot of words and questions in her mind, but she pushed them all aside. "So, what do you feel like doing today?" she asked.

Maura looked around before she rested her eyes on Jane. "I'm not sure, but I think I need to do something, I'm a bit restless."

"Then how about we take a walk? We could walk along the bay like you talked about the other day. Maybe it will help on the hangover as well…"

"You sure? It might take a few hours."

Jane slowly rose to her feet and held out her hands for Maura. "I'm sure. We could buy some food and have lunch along the way." She helped Maura up from the sand.

"Sounds nice. But only if you really want to."

It was a real test for Jane not to wrap her arms around Maura and hug her tight, and just the thought of it made her grin like a moron. "If you ask me one more time if I really want to, then I'm gonna say no and drag you to something you think is really boring" she warned Maura.

"Point taken…"

It was all smiles and soft fingers against hers, and Jane wasn't sure if she would ever be able to let go now. "Just one more thing…" she said and cleared her throat. "I know this is gonna sound like a cliché, but I know what you're going through, okay? I was confused too… and even in denial. I have had whatever thoughts are going through your mind, and probably asked myself every question too. I just want you to remember that. I will understand, whatever it is."

Maura was nodding, slowly, before she took a step closer. "Thank you" she whispered and carefully wrapped her arms around Jane's waist.

Her heart was probably doing cartwheels, but Jane tried to ignore it and put her arms around Maura, pulling her closer. She seemed to be on auto pilot because before she knew what happened, she had leaned down and kissed the top of Maura's head. And then the words slipped out without her approval. "And it's not like you have to worry about what your parents will think…"

Maura slowly pulled back and looked up at Jane before she burst into a bubbly laugh she couldn't control. Happy tears threatened to fall from her eyes, and Maura wiped them away. "We're really doing this completely backwards."

Jane chuckled as they started walking up to the bungalow. "So what…? It just shakes things up a bit, and that's not necessarily a bad thing."

* * *

 **AN:** So a power outage in LA took down ff net's servers yesterday. I was really frustrated... so sorry for the delay.

For some reason, this was a difficult chapter to write. I wrote it, deleted and wrote it again. Still not happy with it, but decided to just leave it and move on.  
I'm so so happy (and still surprised!) that so many of you are following this, and even taking the time to leave a review! I appreciate it! Really. Even if you are new to the "show" or have been leaving words for me since the beginning. Thank you! :)


	13. Something To Hold On To

On their walk along the beach, Maura occasionally forgot their earlier conversation and they just talked and laughed like they had done all week. When they stopped for lunch, Maura made sure to sit close to Jane and lean against her from time to time, just to feel what it was like. When they stopped on the way back to watch some street artists, she slipped her hand in Jane's hand. And everything she did surprised her; it was so simple. So easy and natural, but she still couldn't shake the thought that she was holding hands with a woman, she was looking at Jane, with her beautiful cheekbones and wild curls, and feeling that spark of attraction and butterflies. A woman.

It didn't bother her, not the way she thought it would. She was just not used to it.

As they approached the beach bar, still hand in hand, Maura noticed her parents waiving at them and she sighed. "They are everywhere…"

"Well, we are on a tiny island…" Jane smiled and squeezed Maura's hand before they headed towards Arthur and Constance.

"Hi girls. Where have you been?" Constance asked with a huge smile on her face. Jane was starting to wonder if this woman could ever be sad.

Maura declined the offer to sit down. "We just took a long walk, almost down to the harbor and back."

"Maura's idea?" Arthur asked with teasing in his voice and looked at Jane.

She smiled and shook her head. "Actually, it was my idea. But I see your point" she teased back. Before she knew it, strong fingers pinched her arm and her free hand immediately rubbed the sore spot while she gritted her teeth. "Okay, I deserved that…" She turned to Maura who was looking at her with a split look, like she thought Jane absolutely deserved the pain, but also worried if she had hurt her too much. "Sorry" Jane whispered.

"So, what are your plans for dinner?" Constance asked and completely ignored how Maura and Jane were staring at each other.

"Oh… I don't believe we have made any plans yet" Maura replied and tore her eyes away from Jane.

"Well, we were just talking to the bartender here and he told us there would be a lot of things happening tonight. Right here at the beach."

"Yeah?" Jane halfway faked interest to make Constance happy, but she was really more interested in the hand in hers that was still there. And how a thumb was practically flirting with hers. She tried to sneak a glance down now and then but it was impossible without bursting out into a huge grin. As Constance went on about a barbeque and music, Jane made a swift move with her thumb, trapping Maura's thumb underneath hers. Maura's lips twitched slightly before she stared down at the ground. Jane couldn't stop smiling and waited a few seconds before she made her thumb flirt back.

Maura immediately broke out into a smile. "Yes, that sounds wonderful, mother" she rushed. "Right Jane?"

"What? Oh yeah, sounds great" Jane smiled. For all she knew she might have agreed to a barefoot walk across the Sahara.

"Then we will see you around 6.30" Maura continued. She smiled politely before she tugged at Jane's hand and started walking away, leaving her mother's 'wonderful' hanging in the air.

Jane bit her lip from laughing as Maura hurried away from the bar and all the people. As soon as they were at a safe distance, Maura let out a deep sigh followed by a giggle. Jane knew right away she was going to be blamed for something. "Well, you started it" she smirked, wanting to be a step ahead.

"I know" Maura laughed. "But I wasn't aware I was doing anything… and you really made me lose my focus…"

"Right" Jane answered sarcastically. "No wait, that actually sounds right. I'm used to women lose their focus when I'm around…"

Maura slowed down and turned to Jane while shaking her head. "Oh my god…" she sighed, but laughed eventually.

"What?" Jane exclaimed, playing innocent. She was ignored by a smiling Maura who started walking again, and Jane gave herself a mental high five. Maura was definitely warming up to her charm.

As soon as they reached their bungalow, Maura opened all the folding doors in the bedroom and looked towards the ocean. Memories from that same morning, and the day before, brought a smile to her face as Jane entered the bedroom. "I think I'll go for a swim, join me?" Maura asked but couldn't make herself look at Jane.

"Sure. You need to cool-"

"DON'T!" Maura laughed and turned to Jane. "Don't say it."

Jane grinned and shrugged. "What?" She took a few steps closer, keeping eye contact and smiling. "I'm just saying you look hot…"

Maura blushed while she looked away and couldn't get out a single word. There was something odd about it all, Jane flirting with her, a woman flirting with her. And she didn't really hate it, she just had no idea how to react. Jane stepped behind Maura and carefully wrapped her arms around the blonde. "I hope you'll tell me if you're uncomfortable with something I say or do…" she said quietly and rested her chin on Maura's shoulder.

"I will" Maura reassured her. "It's just… new. But I'm not uncomfortable." She placed her hands on Jane's and leaned back. "I just don't know how to respond properly."

"You don't have to either" Jane smiled. "As long as you're okay."

"I am."

"Good. Now, about that swim. Should I carry you again or…?"

Maura laughed and tore herself away from Jane's arms. "No, you are not going to carry me again! I can walk just fine by myself."

"Alright, I was just offering… in case you were tired or something. I'm very considerate like that…" Jane winked.

"I know" Maura replied quickly. "Just like you're almost never sarcastic."

"Ouch… that hurt!"

Maura playfully shoved Jane as she walked past her to find towels. "I rest my case" she smiled.

* * *

 **AN:** I am so glad you liked the previous chapter. I spent so much time trying to get it right, but I don't know... it just didn't turn out the way I had planned. But that's okay now. I can't dwell too much on it, since I'm typing this story as it goes!  
I decided to split a chapter, basically because I don't have any more written! I'm currently working on the next chapter (no15), but I've been busy and haven't had much time to write. And I'm sort of out of ideas for their last day in paradise... I thought about a rainy day because writing a chapter on Maura working on her tan and Jane running between the pool/store/tv/beach isn't really that rewarding! Or fun... ;) So I thought maybe I'd ask you lovely people. Any ideas? Bring it on! :)

Just a couple of notes;  
\- If you're waiting for any sex scenes (I have seen some subtle and not so subtle hints), then you will be waiting a looooong long time. I don't write them. Unless they are crucial for the story. So far none of my stories have needed it. Just so you know :)

\- I'm gonna be so shameless and put this here: I am really in need of a "beta". Mostly one to bounce ideas off, discuss the story etc. but one "grammar nazi" wouldn't hurt either, even though I am one myself. So if you are creative and like my style of writing, and would volunteer to hours of pain and frustration (just kidding! No, I'm not... ) feel free to send me a pm and we'll talk.


	14. You And Me (And All of The People)

A local band covered famous and not so famous songs throughout the evening. Several picnic tables were placed around between the bar and the stage, and the bar was crowded. Jane and the Isles' had managed to occupy one table and was having a drink after dinner, while listening to the music. As the conversations had dropped to a minimum, both Jane and Maura had turned towards the stage, and Jane was conveniently seated behind Maura, arms wrapped around her waist.

She could happily sit there the rest of the night, inhaling the flowery perfume Maura was wearing, feeling the hands rest on top of hers. She even forgot about Maura's parents until they stood up and Arthur led his wife onto the dance floor. Jane used the opportunity to snuggle closer to Maura, if it was even possible, and rest her head against Maura's. "How has your day been?" she asked and hoped Maura would understand what she meant.

Maura smiled right away and softly stroke Jane's arm. "It's been comfortable" she replied.

Jane smiled too, it was exactly what she wanted to hear. She had tried to let Maura take charge of any touches during the day, well, at least the first half of the day, let her set the pace of everything. Of course, as the day progressed, and Maura didn't seem to be uncomfortable, Jane had given up on being careful. She trusted Maura would push her away if she felt uncertain, not that Maura had shown any signs of it yet. Jane felt brave enough to slightly turn her head and softly kiss Maura's cheek. "I'm glad to hear that" she whispered.

They silently watched the couples out on the dance floor, swinging to some country song before the band switched songs and a slow guitar started playing. Jane immediately recognized the song and smiled for herself. It couldn't be a more appropriate time and place for that song.

 _...What day is it, and in what month? This clock never seemed so alive…_

It was a slow and romantic song, and Jane thought about surprising Maura and dance with her, but she quickly turned that thought away. Despite all the hand holding, and how close they had been throughout the day, they still hadn't kissed. Well, not since last night. And for some reason, Jane would not let herself be the one who initiated it. At least not until Maura flashed some neon sign saying it was okay. Maybe it was silly, but Jane remembered how she had felt on her first dates with a girl. She remembered how nervous she had been and how 'scary' it was when she had suddenly been kissed without any warning at all.

Jane shook her head to get rid of old thoughts and memories and focused on present time. Maura was still in her arms, the band was playing probably the most romantic songs to ever be written, and she really didn't have to ask Maura to dance with her to surprise her.

 _…_ _Cause it's you and me, and all of the people…_

Her hands searched for Maura's hands and she intertwined their fingers while they listened to the song. As the chorus came to an end, Jane slowly breathed in before she cited the verse she knew so well. " _All of the things that I wanna say, just aren't coming out right. I'm tripping on words, you've got my head spinning. I don't know where to go from here…"_

Maura closed her eyes as soon as Jane started singing quietly. She unintentionally held her breathe, afraid to miss a word. Everything in her focused on the voice next to her and everyone around them disappeared for a moment. When Jane silenced and the band continued with the song, Maura tried to find some way to get closer, but failed. She opened her eyes again and slowly turned her head to make eye contact with Jane. But she was too damn close, everyone was too close and she faced the stage again. The words Jane had just sung were spot on; Maura didn't know what to do, she couldn't figure out what to say and everything was most definitely spinning. "You are aware you just made this our song?" she whispered.

Jane replied with a nod and a press of her lips to Maura's cheek. "I know. I couldn't help it…" She tightened her arms around Maura while they listened to the rest of the song.

 _…_ _Something about you now that I can't quite figure out. Everything she does is beautiful, everything she does is right…_

As soon as the band played the final note and people started clapping, Maura got up and pulled Jane to her feet while making an excuse to her parents. Jane followed obediently as Maura walked away from the lights and sounds. "You okay?" she asked as they walked along the beach, the noise from the bar fading behind them.

"I'm fine" Maura smiled. "I just wanted to get away for a moment." They walked until the waves were louder than the music behind them, and Maura suddenly stepped in front of Jane, causing them to almost crash into each other. Jane was about to say something but stopped herself when Maura wrapped her arms around her neck and moved closer. She could barely take a breath before two soft lips were gently pressing against hers and she instantly wrapped her arms around Maura's waist. With eyes closing, all she could hear was the waves of the ocean, and it heightened her other senses. A hand cupped her cheek as Maura tilted her head and slowly deepened the kiss.

All sorts of emotions were running through her body, from toes to fingertips, and Jane tried to pull Maura closer to her only to realize it was impossible. It was one of those neon signs that told her she absolutely was falling; she could never be close enough to this woman. So it felt like a big loss when Maura slowly removed her lips. Jane opened her eyes again to look directly into hazel ones, and she rested her forehead against Maura's.

"That's why I wanted to get away" Maura whispered.

Jane smiled and sighed. "I'm not complaining" she whispered back. Maura stroke her thumb over a cheek, and Jane couldn't help herself. She closed the distance and captured Maura's lips again, knowing she was too far gone to be saved by now.


	15. For The Win

**AN:** Hey guys, and sorry for the delay! Lots of stuff going on and... well, I had to write this chapter first! :)  
While I remember: song in the previous chapter was Lifehouse - You And Me (go play it to your gf/wife/husband/bf!)  
And then the "bad" news...Next chapter will be the last one. Just so you know. But who knows, maybe I'll do a sequel one day. Or maybe I just return with a new story!  
It will probably take me about a week to get the last chapter up. I have an important English test tomorrow and Saturday which I need to focus on now. (Please cross your fingers! :D)

So let's get to it, before you all forget what this story is all about... :)  
Ps. Thanks C for the chats and help and laughs. You did help me with this one!

* * *

Jane woke up early that Sunday morning and managed to get out of bed without waking Maura who was still fast asleep. She took a moment to study the blonde before she got dressed and sneaked out. With a smile on her face she practically jogged to the café where they usually had breakfast and ordered coffees and a couple of smoothies to go. As she waited, she sat down by the window and stared towards the bar on the beach that was now empty and abandoned. Saturday evening had absolutely been a nice one, even though they spent it alongside Maura's parents and a bunch of other people. And even though they both had been exhausted from the long day and early morning, Jane couldn't complain about how they both had collapsed when they headed back to their bungalow. After all, Maura had fallen asleep in her arms again.

As soon as her order was ready, she went back and silently snuck into the bedroom. Maura was still sleeping and Jane put down the four cups on the nightstand next to Maura. She leaned down and gently placed a kiss on Maura's cheek. After some stretching and deep breaths, Maura finally opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Jane looking down at her. "Hi…"

"Good morning, beautiful" Jane smiled back and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Maura fought off the blush that wanted to spread in her face. "Why do you smell like coffee?" she asked and sat up. Jane pointed to the cups on the nightstand and Maura laughed softly. "You've been out for coffee already?"

"Yeah, and that pineapple smoothie you like so much."

"You're too nice…" Maura whispered and accepted the coffee Jane handed her.

"Just say the word and I can stop being nice" Jane teased and reached for her own coffee. She carefully crawled over Maura's legs and sat down next to her. Maura replied with a soft scoff and leaned against her before she laughed. "So" Jane continued and moved her coffee into her other hand so she could link their hands together. "You ready for Sunday Funday?"

Maura laughed again and looked at Jane. "I am ready for a day in the sun, yes. But are you? I do remember our first day here and how restless you were…"

"Well, this is different! I'll be playing sports, and winning stuff. That's fun! You can do the whole melting in the sun thing." Jane turned her head when seconds went by with no response. Maura was looking at her like she was waiting for Jane to talk, but with a slight smirk. "What?" Jane asked.

"You're not going to be cocky and say the reason I will melt in the sun is because you are around and not the sun itself?"

Jane burst out laughing when she finally saw the play on words. "Damn! I didn't even think of that. It's too early for me! But now that you said it, yes, it's absolutely true. Thank you for pointing that out!" Jane winked and kissed the top of Maura's head.

Maura didn't know why she blushed, but she made sure to lean her head on Jane's shoulder just to hide it. If it hadn't been scientifically impossible, Maura was sure she actually could melt in Jane's presence. But that she would keep to herself.

* * *

The hand that held hers was strong and confident as they left their bungalow and headed towards the part of the beach near the bar and restaurant. She wasn't quite as confident yet, but she knew she would get there eventually. Everything had changed even though they were still the same on the outside. Maura had more trouble now keeping up with the charade, despite the fact that it wasn't really a charade anymore. Ever since their little talk, Maura knew she looked at Jane differently, she smiled differently and acted differently than what she had done the previous week. She just hoped her parents didn't notice the change.

Maura slowly released Jane's hand and found their towels from her bag. Her parents were already settled on the beach and had saved them two sunbeds. She sat down and looked towards three guys setting up a volleyball net closer to the water. It was the only thing that had convinced Jane to spend the day at the beach; she could join the tournament and wouldn't have to be bored all day long. Maura smiled at how Jane had disliked the 'Sunday Funday' saying until she found out there would be competitions. In sports events. And free ice cream. Mostly for the kids, but she said she would find a loophole somehow.

"Uhm, earth to Maura? You still with us?"

She quickly turned around from the nudge on her shoulder. "What?"

Jane smiled down at her. "I asked you if you wanted something to drink. I'm going to the bar."

"Oh… no thank you."

"You sure? No juice, or iced tea or something?" Jane gave her one of those questioning looks, like she was waiting for Maura to change her mind.

"Maybe an iced tea" Maura smiled and let Jane have her win. She always looked so happy then. She watched Jane walk away before she found her sunglasses and her book and leaned back.

The first match for Jane and the guy she was paired up with was an easy one. Maura watched them block, smash, dive and everything else to secure a win. Of course Jane had an advantage since she was so tall. Maura had never really cared for sports, so she was a bit surprised when she actually had fun watching the match. Even though it was mostly because of the radiant brunette who was jogging towards her with a huge smile on her face. "Congratulations!" Maura smiled when Jane sat down.

"Thanks… that was easy though. I hope the next ones will put up a decent fight."

Maura couldn't help but laugh of how arrogant Jane sounded, even though it was unintentionally. "I think everyone is a bit scared of your height. You don't really have any competition so far."

"Yeah, I know" Jane laughed. "At least there's something good about being tall." She reached for the water bottle on the small table between them and emptied it before she threw it into the sand underneath the table. "You'll watch the next game too, right?"

"Of course" Maura nodded. Her lips automatically turned into a smile when she saw Jane's eyes light up from her answer.

"Great. Okay, I'm gonna go for a swim and get all this sand out of my hair." Jane got rid of the elastic in her hair before she removed her shorts and tank top and disappeared again.

Again Maura watched Jane walk away, and she wondered how it would be like to be back in Boston and the real life. They didn't have to pretend there, her parents weren't there to make her nervous, it almost seemed like a new start. Although she wouldn't mind spending some extra days in paradise either. Just not with her parents around.

Maura let her head fall back and closed her eyes. She knew the fall and winter would come soon enough to Boston, so it was best to enjoy the heat while she could. Her mind was filled with Jane and all they had gone through together in just ten days. From a chance encounter to falling asleep in each other's arms. It all caused a smile to her face while she was dozing off.

Two things jolted her awake in what seemed like hours later; something cold hitting her very warm stomach, and her own shriek. Then she heard her parents laugh not too far away and she opened her eyes while her own body jerked itself into a sitting position. Jane was standing over her, squeezing her very wet hair which caused a small waterfall to land on Maura. "Jane! Oh my god, it's so cold!" She grabbed the corner of her towel to wipe away the water.

Jane laughed silently, obviously knowing she was already on thin ice. "Sorry! I couldn't help myself!" She quickly retreated to her own sunbed and wrapped the towel around her shoulders.

"Couldn't help yourself…" Maura mumbled, still in shock after the brutal awakening. She chuckled when she looked over at Jane who was partly hiding behind the towel. "If I one day do something like this to you, you cannot claim revenge!"

"Totally okay!" Jane blurted out and grinned.

* * *

The second game was a bit more interesting, but Jane and her partner came out as the victors again. They seemed to have found a mutual understanding and played very well together. Maura admired how they threw themselves into the sand just to make sure the ball didn't hit the ground, and jumped right back up. She especially liked to watch Jane doing what she obviously loved. How she high fived her partner after a solid smash, the joy of blocking a shot and getting them another point, the frustration when she couldn't make the block. Jane was very much passionate about her sports, and Maura wondered if she was just as passionate when she was watching games.

Both Maura and her parents had moved closer to the court as the third game was about to start. Jane and her partner, Ryan, were already ready and waiting for the other team when the referee, a very blonde woman, made her way towards them. She shook hands with them both before she started talking with Jane. Maura watched them closely, noticing every smile from the blonde and how her eyes at one point drifted over Jane's body, quickly but still noticeable.

She felt a knot form in her stomach and was about to walk over to them when the other team stepped onto the court and the blonde went back to her referee stand. Maura stood there paralyzed when they started playing. Why had she felt the need to interrupt a conversation between Jane and a complete stranger?

Jane raised her hands as the ball landed safely in the sand on the other side of the net. The final point was secured and she was soon embraced by Ryan. Maura and her parents all started clapping and Constance carefully nudged her arm. "She is very good. Is she just as good in other sports?"

Maura turned to her mother and smiled before looking back at Jane and Ryan. "I don't know. I haven't seen her play any other sports."

"Well, she's very athletic, I can imagine she played…"

Her mother's voice faded when Maura saw the referee heading for Jane again. The knot was back in her stomach and she sighed silently. The blonde shook Jane's hand, apparently congratulating her, but didn't that hand linger a bit too long? Maura moved on the spot, restless but at the same time annoyed with herself. This was absolutely none of her business, despite the tilt of the blonde's head and the smile when Jane spoke. She had no right to dislike anyone talking to Jane, even if they were obviously trying to flirt with her with a casual touch or a laughter. And when exactly did Maura become so… so…

 _Jealous._

The word stung when she finally connected the dots. She had never been the jealous kind, her previous boyfriends had all chatted with attractive women without her getting jealous. So why did this tall, beautiful brunette change everything? Before she knew she had moved, Maura was approaching Jane and the blonde. She didn't really think while she slipped an arm around Jane's waist and rose on her toes to leave a soft kiss on her cheek. "Congratulations. You played well!"

Jane quickly turned to her with surprise in her eyes, but it faded into a huge smile. "Thank you…" She carefully put her arm around Maura's shoulder, like she wasn't quite sure if Maura was comfortable with it or not.

Maura didn't move an inch from Jane, but she did feel slightly guilty when she looked at the blonde. She had actually interrupted them just to make a point to the blonde, and once again it was not something Maura usually did.

"Anyway, good luck in the finals" the blonde sighed softly, obviously taking Maura's flashing point. "Should be an exciting game."

"Thanks, I hope so too" Jane replied before the blonde threw a glance at Maura and walked away. Jane turned her eyes back on Maura and just stared at her with a smile playing on her lips.

Maura got nervous and was sure she would be called out on the jealousy. "What?" she tried to ask calmly.

"I really, really wanna kiss you right now…" Jane whispered but made no sign to follow up her statement.

"But… you're not because…?"

"I'm not sure if you're okay with it… since we're kinda in the spotlight right now with all these people, and your parents, around."

Maura felt the knot untie itself in her stomach and she leaned up and pressed her lips against Jane's. "I don't care…" she whispered before she proved it again. Jane smiled but kissed her back and wrapped both arms around her. "So, when is the next game?" Maura asked as they pulled back, not wanting to make a show out of it.

"In a couple of hours I think. And I could really need something to eat before that."

"Good, cause I'm starving too. And I'm actually exhausted just from watching you run around in the sand like that."

Jane laughed and shook her head before she placed a kiss on Maura's forehead. "Nah… you're tired because you've been running through my mind all day…"

They started walking towards the restaurant, and it took Maura several seconds to fully understand what Jane had just said. But when she did, she laughed and shook her head, both shy and thrilled at the same time.


	16. Make This Go On Forever

**AN:** We're at the end guys... I know, I think it's sad too.  
Thank you so so so much for following this! It's been a lot of fun!  
And... I'll be back! :)

* * *

Jane and Ryan proceeded to win the tournament and was awarded with a bottle of wine each. Jane was quick to give the wine to Maura's parents, saying it was the least she could do. Maura watched the whole scene with a smile on her face and couldn't be happier about how her parents seemed to adore Jane. And in the spur of the moment, she wondered if she would ever tell her parents the truth if this thing she had started with Jane continued, but shook her head as soon as the thought entered. She didn't want to think too far ahead. That was impossible when Jane suddenly turned to her and kissed her. All Maura could think of, was how she could absolutely get used to those soft lips. Today, tomorrow, next week…

Barely minutes after the tournament was over, Jane and Maura decided to head back to their bungalow when dark skies inched closer and closer and caused the sun to disappear. Maura had had enough of the sun anyway and wouldn't mind a relaxing end on their vacation. She brushed the sand off her feet before she entered their bungalow and turned on the tv right away, wanting to know if it was just rain that was heading towards them or if she had to worry. Some thunderstorms were mentioned and Maura sank down on the couch and sighed.

"Damn… more thunder?" Jane asked as she stopped behind the couch. She put her hands on Maura's shoulders and gently squeezed.

"Seems that way. Maybe we should've gone to the store before we left the beach."

"Yeah… maybe..." Jane felt how Maura's shoulders relaxed under her hands. She smiled and leaned down until they were cheek to cheek. "I'll go to the store now. Anything special you want?"

Maura quickly turned her head, almost colliding with Jane's. "You don't have to go alone. I can come with you." Even she heard how unwilling she sounded, and she was. Going out with thunderstorms hanging over her head was not her first choice.

"It's okay. You don't have to." Jane softly kissed her before she straightened up again. "I'll be back in a second. You'll barely notice I'm gone." She gave the shoulders a final squeeze before she went to put on her shoes.

"I think I'll notice."

The low voice made her turn around and Jane couldn't help the grin on her face. She picked up her wallet and put her hand on the doorknob. "Any requests?"

Maura shook her head and smiled. "Surprise me."

* * *

It was strange being alone again, even though Jane was just around the corner, and Maura waited patiently for her to return. She didn't like that a new round of thunder was coming, but maybe it wouldn't be that bad after all. She really wanted to spend time with Jane and explore this new change in her life. And she wanted to be close to Jane again. What better reason than thunder and lightning to cuddle up in safe arms?

Maura noticed the rain outside just as Jane opened the door, and Maura burst out laughing. Jane was soaking wet, hair plastered to her cheeks, her shoes squeaked with every step she took, and the look on her face was anything but amused. "Oh Jane… you shouldn't have walked back in the rain!"

"Well, I didn't!" Jane sighed and put down the plastic bag on the floor before she closed the door. "It didn't rain when I left the store, it didn't rain when I passed your parents' bungalow, and it didn't rain until I could see ours! Really? It's like someone dumped a freaking pool over me the last 20 feet!"

"I'm sorry I'm laughing… but it's funny!" Maura giggled. "I'll get you a towel…" She hurried into the bathroom and picked up the biggest towel she could find before returning to Jane.

"Thank you" Jane smiled and grabbed the towel. She unfolded it and wrapped it around her shoulders. "That was very kind of you."

Maura saw the hidden smirk and instantly sensed Jane was up to something. "Really…?" Jane nodded before she released the corners of the towel and opened her arms. "Oh no!" Maura laughed and took a step back when Jane tried to hug her. "You're not getting anywhere near me now!"

"Why not?" Jane faked ignorance and stepped closer. "I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the towel…"

"Not happening!" Maura smiled and stepped backwards. "Not until you're all dry again."

Jane sighed and surrendered. "Fine… You're so bossy… But if I go change into dry clothes, can I hug you then?"

Maura melted from the puppy eyes and the sweet voice and could only nod before Jane grinned and left wet footprints all the way to the bathroom.

* * *

The rain was still pouring down outside an hour later, and the wind had picked up in intensity. Maura was carefully studying the two cards in her hand and then looked at Jane. They had pushed away the coffee table, which obviously was too small according to Jane, and was sitting on the floor with their backs against the couches. "What was a flush again?" she asked.

"Five of the same suit" Jane replied. "And yes, that is better than a straight."

Maura smiled and tried to cool down her own flushing cheeks, she had apparently asked that question a few times already. She couldn't really believe she was learning how to play poker in the middle of a rainy day in the Bahamas, but stranger things had happened so far on their trip. "Then I'm good" Maura smiled and looked down at her cards before she held them to her chest.

Jane chuckled and shook her head. "It's called 'check', Maura. Not…'good'."

"Oh… sorry, I will try to remember it now" Maura smiled sweetly.

"It's okay. You're so adorable that I don't mind." Jane flipped the final card and put it down on the floor with the other four.

"You're just saying that to make me unfocused."

Jane laughed and looked up. "No, I'm not. I already know you don't have a flush, so… _I'm good_."

Maura tried to give Jane the evil eye, but totally failed. Instead she focused on her cards and the final card on the floor, trying to keep some sort of poker face. "You can't know what I have… or don't have." She calmly lowered her cards, still faced towards her, and turned her eyes to Jane.

"I do know you don't have a flush. And I also know you don't have a straight, it's not possible with the cards on the table."

"Floor" Maura corrected.

Jane sighed but still laughed. "Okay, floor. You can't have four of a kind either, maybe three, but I doubt it. Full house isn't possible either, so you really don't have anything good on your hand right now, babe." She winked and smiled when Maura blushed.

"Fine" Maura almost mumbled, too distracted from all the new words coming from Jane. "Maybe I don't have a full house… Check."

"Just for the fun of it, I'll check too" Jane replied and put down her cards. "Two pairs, can you beat that?" she smirked.

"I actually don't know… can I?" Maura asked and showed her cards, two 4's.

Jane looked at them before her eyes found the 4 of hearts on the floor. "Damn! Yeah, you did beat that…" She sighed, mostly because she was disappointed with herself, but when she looked up and saw Maura's sly grin, she wasn't disappointed anymore. "You fooled me!" Jane laughed.

Maura kept grinning. "Maybe… maybe that flush question was just a ruse…"

"Well, you're a fast learner, Isles. I'll give you that. Nicely done." Jane started collecting the cards when a piercing crack of thunder made them both jump and the cards in her hand scattered to the floor again. "Holy crap!" she blurted out. And then she saw Maura staring at her and taking short breaths. She quickly moved over to the couch behind Maura and held out her hand. "Come on…"

Of course Maura didn't hesitate at all and it was much easier to curl into a ball in Jane's arms this time. She rested her head against the shoulder and sighed.

"Anything I can say to make it better?" Jane asked as the thunder rumbled over them again.

"You can just hold me… That seemed to work the last time."

Jane smiled and tightened the embrace. "Yeah, I can totally do that."

Maura tried to focus on Jane's steady breathing and found it soothing. She couldn't figure out just why she felt so safe when Jane held her like that, or whenever Jane held her at all. She had been with much stronger men before, but none of them had made her feel so protected like Jane did. She could relax like this, not worry about the world outside and it sometimes scared her. What if they were too different in the end and it all fell apart? Just the thought of going back to Boston and their daily lives was scary. Boston and paradise were two different worlds, and Maura knew they were gonna face some challenges going back. Reality could never live up to a charade in paradise, but now and then, she actually looked forward to that new, clean start.

Barely ten minutes later, the thunder had moved on, and Maura was arguing with herself if she should say the words that longed to escape. They had been sitting in silence all along, and Maura had been thinking about their whole journey so far, and especially one specific moment. She inhaled slowly before she decided to just say it. "I… uh… I have a confession to make" she almost whispered.

"Should I be worried?" Jane asked.

Maura smiled and sat up. "No. It's just that… remember your hypothetical theory about you and me dancing to a romantic song during the dinner and how you would kiss me if you were a guy?"

Jane furrowed her brows as she looked at Maura. "Yeah… and I did kiss you, even though I'm not a guy…"

"I know… I actually asked you to dance with me on purpose. I wanted you to kiss me again."

It looked like Jane was torn between laughing and keeping a straight face and it ended with soft chuckle. "What?"

Maura nodded while she tried to find the words to explain it all. "I was curious, since I liked that… first kiss. I wanted to know if I actually liked it, and not just because I hadn't been kissed in a while. And since you had mentioned that particular scene, I thought it was the perfect chance, since you were supposed to be my girlfriend and all." Maura paused to study the look on Jane's face, but wasn't sure what to read from it. "This probably doesn't make any sense to you but…"

"It does" Jane cut her off. "I get it. I've been there, remember?" She smiled when she reached for Maura's hand. "And you obviously liked it" she added with a slight grin.

Maura laughed softly and nodded. "I did… I mean… I do." She looked down at their hands, still a bit shy about it all.

Seconds went by without a word from either of them until Jane sighed. "Okay, I have a confession too… When that guy tried to dance with you the other day… I got jealous."

She fought to hold back a laugh, but Maura had no chance. "That's not a confession, Jane. I could tell you were jealous!" Her laughter just increased from the shocked expression on Jane's face. "You don't like to dance, but as soon as that guy came close to me, you rushed over to tell him I was yours. At some point I was worried you were going to throw him to the ground and arrest him!"

Jane scoffed and tried to be offended, but the smile on Maura's face tore down all her defenses. She slowly started to laugh herself. "Okay, fine… maybe it was a bit obvious…"

Maura inched closer, her nose brushing against Jane's cheek. "But that doesn't mean I didn't like it." Her lips softly pressed against a smiling cheek.

"So, am I allowed to get jealous and chase away guys trying to steal you from me?" Jane whispered and slowly turned so she was just a breath away from Maura's lips. She barely noticed the short nod before lips were upon hers, careful but insistent.

Maura smiled against Jane's lips when she thought for herself that she absolutely liked kissing Jane, a lot. "You know…" she mumbled and pulled back. "I actually find it funny how you can tell right away if someone is flirting with me, but you have no idea when someone is flirting with you…"

"What?" Jane smiled. "No one's flirted with me… except you, and I have noticed that."

"I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about that referee today. The blonde one."

Jane stared at the table like she was trying to remember the events earlier. "No way" she finally laughed. "She wasn't flirting with me!"

Maura tilted her head, mimicking the blonde and added a ridiculous voice. "Oh no? See how I'm tilting my head, smiling and looking at you while I listen intently to every word you say, because I want you to see how focused I am on you. And then I'll casually touch your arm and laugh at something you say because you are of course so funny!"

It made Jane laugh harder before she suddenly silenced and looked at Maura with wide eyes. "Wait a minute… that was when you showed up and kissed me out of nowhere…"

Maura blushed right away when she knew she was caught.

"You were jealous, baby" Jane grinned.

"Perhaps a little" Maura admitted.

Jane's grin transformed into a tender smile and she lowered her head until their foreheads touched. "Good… then we're still on the same page. And I don't care if anyone else but you tries to flirt with me."

"Does that mean that I can chase them away?"

Jane leaned closer and kissed Maura before she nodded. "Yes, please do."

* * *

The next day was another beautiful day and it was bittersweet to wake up and know they were leaving paradise. Maura, who was already packed and ready to go, stood down by the water and felt how her feet sunk into the sand for every wave. She didn't hear Jane approaching her and twitched when two arms slipped around her waist from behind.

"Sorry" Jane chuckled. "I didn't mean to scare you… what were you thinking about?"

"How I don't want to leave all of this" Maura sighed and leaned against Jane. "I would gladly stay here another week. Without my parents this time…"

Cheek to cheek, Jane couldn't help but kiss the soft skin so close to her. "Yeah, that wouldn't be bad at all. I mean, if you wanted me to stay here with you…"

Maura laughed softly and placed her hands over Jane's. "Of course! Why would I want to be here without you?"

"Oh, I don't know. There are probably dozens of guys that would love to get a chance with you on this island…"

"Well, then you would _have_ to be here and chase them away, remember?"

"Good point" Jane laughed.

Maura smiled as she stared out over the ocean. She wondered if it would still be this easy to be close to Jane when they came back to Boston. Her mind occasionally warned her that it would be different, and she was acutely aware of how real it would be. With her parents on a different continent, they had no one to worry about, Maura didn't have to think about what she said or did, or just how she looked at Jane. She could simply be…real.

"Question" Jane started and brought Maura back from her thoughts. "Do you still want to see me again when we get back?"

"Of course" Maura replied instantly.

"Could I even ask you out…? On a date…?"

"I'd like that." She didn't bother with the smile that spread across her face, there was no way she could control it anyway. After a few silent moments, Maura turned around and put her arms around Jane's neck. "Even if it is a bit sad to leave paradise, going home suddenly didn't sound so bad after all."

"So you're not gonna miss the sand, the sun, the exotic drinks and the sound of the waves as you fall asleep?" Jane teased. "Okay, you're right" she added when Maura sighed. "Going home isn't that bad. No sand in your hair, no…. sand in your shoes… and… no sun in your eyes."

Maura shook her head and laughed. "Not what I was thinking about."

"No? Alright… so you wanna go home because…?"

Maura felt drawn towards the lips in front of her as Jane looked at her. "Because this isn't a summer fling, and we actually live in the same city. I can leave paradise and bring part of it home. And I really want to get to know you even better, and there's plenty of time for that in Boston."

Jane visibly swallowed and pulled Maura even closer to her before she kissed her. "Then let's go home."


End file.
